Kolkata building collapse: 7 killed, CM Mamata calls it 'illegal construction'

West Benga Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday (March 18) promised stern action against illegal constructions after seven people, including two women, were killed and several others injured after an under-construction five-storey building collapsed in the Garden Reach area of Kolkata.

The toll could go up since at least four people were spotted trapped under the debris, 16 hours after the collapse, and only one of them showed signs of life, a fire services official, engaged in rescue operations, said.

One person arrested

Mohammed Wasim, the promoter of the building, was arrested.

Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim said the rescue operations were carried out on war footing at the site where the building was being constructed illegally.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited the building collapse site at Azan Molla Lane in the city's western periphery and assured locals of stern action against illegal construction. She also visited the hospital where the injured were being treated.

"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 for mitigating the disaster," the chief minister wrote on X.

Compensation for victims

She said the government will provide compensation to the next of kin of each deceased and the injured persons.

"We stand by the distressed families and rescue operations shall continue," Banerjee said on the microblogging site.

Hakim, also West Bengal's urban development minister, said, "I spoke to the chief minister and we will provide Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs one lakh to each injured person."

"The Opposition leaders, who are raising various questions in this regard, for them, I would say that politics can wait. We can do politics later, but at the moment we should focus on rescuing the people who are stuck. We hope that such incidents are not repeated. All institutions should work in tandem," he said.

The chief minister hoped that those trapped under the debris would be rescued soon.

"This is an illegal construction. I express my condolences to the family. I will urge the administration to take strict action against those involved in the illegal construction," she said after visiting the injured in a hospital.

This is Banerjee’s first public appearance after she fell at her home and suffered injuries on Thursday evening. She also underwent stitches.

Banerjee with her bandaged forehead visited the building collapse site this morning.

She said the authorities should have been more vigilant when the illegal construction was going on.

'Refrain from politicising this incident'

TMC national general secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee urged the Opposition not to politicise the incident.

"The building collapse in the Garden Reach area is a truly tragic event. However, I firmly believe that the Opposition should refrain from politicising this incident," he said in a video shared by TMC on X.

"Politics can wait. Our primary focus should be on swiftly executing the rescue operation, prioritising the safety and well-being of all victims.

"Instead of tweeting from the comfort of Delhi, the Opposition leaders should join us on the ground, taking proactive steps to stand by the people and save lives," he added.

Admitting that illegal constructions in the area were rampant, Hakim said, "It has been a trend here and also in some other areas since the Left Front era." He also admitted that there could have been a "lapse on the part of the officials" for failing to monitor whether constructions in the locality were being made in accordance with law.

Hakim said, "It is not the job of the local councillor but of the civic body officials to inspect whether constructions are taking place according to sanctioned plans from Kolkata Municipal Corporation or not."

'TMC-made disaster'

State Fire and Emergency Services Minister Sujit Bose said the rescue operations are underway on a war footing and those trapped under the debris would be brought out soon.

Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal visited the spot and took stock of the rescue operations.

According to locals, who were the first responders, concrete chunks fell from the building before it collapsed.

There was a loud sound and a thick cloud of dust engulfed the area as soon as the building collapsed. The debris fell on nearby shanties in the densely populated area, they said.

"Although no one lived in the under-construction building, it collapsed on the adjacent shanties. We fear that many individuals might still be trapped under the rubble," said a resident.

In a post on X on Sunday, Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari said, "I urge @chief_west, Secretary @HomeBengal, @CPKolkata to immediately involve West Bengal State Disaster Management Team for immediate Rescue & Relief." "I am receiving frantic calls regarding probable casualties. Please dispatch any team which can help in rescuing the victims, be it fire Servicemen, police or any other team," he said.

Adhikari also shared pictures from the building collapse site. He called it "TMC-made disaster".