1. Kolkata’s Garden Reach witnessed a tragic event as a five-storey under-construction building collapsed on a nearby slum.
2. The incident occurred around 12:10 am, resulting in injuries to numerous slum residents who were subsequently trapped.
3. Prompt rescue operations were initiated to extricate and aid those affected by the collapse.
Kolkata, March 18: A harrowing incident unfolded in Kolkata’s Garden Reach area as part of a five-storey under-construction building collapsed onto an adjacent slum during the early hours of Monday, according to police reports.
At around 12:10 am, the collapse trapped and injured several slum dwellers, prompting immediate rescue efforts. Ten injured individuals were swiftly evacuated and taken to nearby hospitals, with rescue operations ongoing.
However, the exact number of casualties remained unconfirmed as of 6:40 am, with locals reporting two deaths and 15 injuries.
Challenges persisted for rescue teams due to darkness and limited space for deploying necessary equipment like cranes, complicating the efforts to extract survivors from the debris.
Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal arrived at the scene to oversee operations but refrained from addressing the media.
The congested area, falling within Kolkata Municipal Corporation’s civic ward No. 134, has been a cause for concern due to alleged illegal construction practices.
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Locals accused authorities of allowing the construction of five-storey buildings in narrow lanes, contravening KMC regulations.
They highlighted the narrow three-foot-wide lane leading to the collapsed building site, emphasizing its unsuitability for such construction.
The construction initiated approximately two years ago, raised eyebrows among residents, predominantly from the Muslim community, who pointed to similar structures in the vicinity.
Amidst preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the incident drew political attention, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) targeting the Trinamool Congress government.
Suvendu Adhikari, leader of the opposition in the state legislative assembly, took to social media to demand immediate action from authorities, underscoring the gravity of the situation in the wake of the collapse.
Despite calls for intervention from government officials, no response was forthcoming until the early hours of the morning.
The constituency, once known as Garden Reach, holds historical significance, witnessing political transformations over the years, particularly during the 2011 assembly elections when the Trinamool Congress rose to power, replacing the Left Front government.
