KOLKATA: A five-storey under-construction building, said to be an illegal structure, collapsed in the wee hours of Monday on the adjoining tiled-roof shanties in the Garden Reach area, leaving nine people, including two women, dead and at least 15 seriously injured.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited the spot with a bandage on her head as she was treated after a fall at her residence on March 14.
“Sad to learn about the house collapse disaster of an under-construction building in the Garden Reach area of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation. Our Mayor, Fire Minister, Secretaries and Commissioner of Police, civic, police, fire and disaster management officers and teams (including NDRF, KMC and KP teams) have been on site throughout the night to mitigate the disaster. We shall provide compensation for the next of kin of the deceased and for the injured persons. We stand by the distressed families and rescue operations shall continue,” Mamata said on her X handle.
Police arrested the promoter, Mohammad Waser, of the under-construction building on charges of murder and attempt to murder but the BJP demanded the arrest of local TMC councillor Shams Iqbal for his involvement in the alleged illegal construction housing 16 flats.
The area where the incident took place is in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC)’s ward no 134 which is part of the Kolkata Port Assembly constituency from where mayor of the civic body and urban development minister Firhad Hakim has been elected from 2011.
Admitting that the under-construction building was being constructed on land which was converted by filling up a waterbody, Hakim said, “I have spoken to the chief minister and we will give Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 1 lakh to each injured person.”
Locals alleged that the building was being constructed by filling up a waterbody, which is illegal according to the rules laid down by the civic authorities.
“Many highrises are being constructed in the area illegally by filling up waterbodies. Similar incidents are waiting to take place in other constructions,” said a neighbour of the collapsed building.
The locals woke up with a loud noise around 12.20 am on Monday and they came out only to see thick dust covering the area. “Those who were trapped were screaming for help. We were in a state of shock. We had no option left other than remaining spectators as we did not have the tools to remove the ruins and rescue the injured. Police and fire brigade personnel arrived after 30 minutes,” said a local resident.
Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari said the state administration was responsible for the tragedy. “The incident took place in the turf of mayor and minister Firhad Hakim. Since the TMC gained control of the KMC, more than 5,000 waterbodies have been illegally filled up and converted within the KM area itself. Clear collusion between local councillors, promoters and local police, under the aegis of top TMC leaders, can be easily witnessed when such water bodies are filled up without facing any legal and administrative hassles. More than 800 such illegal constructions exist in the Garden Reach area itself,” said Adhikari.