NEW DELHI: A 46-year-old man died after a three-storey building collapsed early Friday morning in central Delhi’s Lohia Chowk area.
The deceased was identified as Manoj Sharma, an employee at one of the shops housed in the building, was trapped under the rubble of the collapsed structure. Following the incident, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh for the victim’s next of kin.
Fire officials received an emergency call around 1.56 am and dispatched three fire tenders to the site at Mithai Pul in Lohia Chowk. The building, a ground plus two shops structure, collapsed, and victim Manoj Sharma was pulled from the debris. He was rushed to Bada Hindu Rao Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival, said officials.
The DMRC, which is currently carrying out tunneling work for the Janakpuri West – RK Ashram Marg metro corridor, confirmed that the location of the collapse falls within the influence zone of the ongoing project. DMRC officials noted that the building had been deemed unsafe before tunneling work began. As a precautionary measure, the building had been evacuated prior to the commencement of construction activities.
According to the DMRC, evacuation notices were issued to building owners on June 12, warning them of the dilapidated condition of the structure.
“The buildings had been vacated and necessary safety measures, including subsoil grouting and external supports, were put in place to stabilize the area,” the DMRC said in a statement. Debris removal operations were immediately launched in coordination with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Delhi Police. The area was barricaded, and a thorough investigation is being conducted by DMRC into the incident.
While DMRC implements several safety protocols during tunneling, including property surveys, condition mapping, and the shifting of vulnerable occupants, this incident has prompted further scrutiny.
The corporation said all necessary measures will be taken to avoid future risks. A case has been registered under relevant sections, and an investigation is underway, the officials said.