2 dead in Kolkata building collapse, Govt announces compensation

At least two people were killed and seven injured after an under-construction building collapsed post-midnight on Monday at the congested Garden Reach area in Kolkata. 22 people were rescued from the rubble after collective efforts from disaster management teams. Seven people were sent to hospital with injuries, two people later succumbed to their injuries.

The five-storied under-construction building was an “illegal; construction”, claimed the Mayor of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) Firhad Hakim, who is also the MLA from the area. Hakim visited the spot and assured action against the promoter. “It was an illegal construction and the promoter will be arrested”, said Farhad Hakim.

Part of the building collapsed and fell on a slum adjacent to it where several people were sleeping at night. “We first spotted some dust loosely falling from the building and then a few concrete chunks and finally the portion came down” said a local who along with others was the first respondent to the crisis. Fire officials and Kolkata police teams rushed to the spot. Kolkata Commissioner of Police Vineet Goyal was there through the night overseeing the rescue operation.

The state government has announced compensation for the deceased and also for the injured- Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of the two deceased slum dwellers and Rs 1 lakh to the injured people undergoing treatment at the hospital.

“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”, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee posted on ‘X’ on Monday morning.