Three Dead in Building Collapse in Delhi’s Paharganj Amid Dust Storm and Rain

Three people lost their lives after an under-construction building partially collapsed in Delhi’s Paharganj area. The incident occurred on Ara Kansa Road, near the Krishna Hotel, when the sidewall of a basement under construction gave way. Officials confirmed that three individuals, initially rescued from the debris, were later declared dead.

According to the Delhi Fire Service, a call reporting the collapse was received around 6:05 pm. Four fire tenders were rushed to the site, and rescue operations began immediately. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and local police teams also joined the efforts.

The collapse coincided with severe weather conditions affecting Delhi and neighboring regions. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had predicted thunderstorms, strong winds, and rainfall across Delhi on Saturday, with temperatures expected to hover around 42 degrees Celsius. High-speed winds and dust storms swept across the capital and nearby areas including Noida and Ghaziabad.

Officials have not yet confirmed whether the inclement weather contributed directly to the collapse, but eyewitnesses reported that the structural failure occurred shortly after a strong dust storm hit the area. Rescue workers faced difficulties due to the debris and constrained space in the narrow bylanes of Paharganj.

In a statement, fire department officials said the side wall of the basement appeared unstable and may have failed due to poor structural support or excavation-related weakness. The exact cause is still under investigation. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has been tasked with conducting a technical assessment and is expected to issue a report in the coming days.

This incident follows a similar collapse on Friday evening in the same area, on Arakashan Road, where a building reportedly gave way during a dust storm. No casualties were reported in that incident, but it raised concerns about ongoing construction practices and safety checks in central Delhi neighborhoods.

Saturday’s collapse also comes just a month after a four-storey residential building collapsed in northeast Delhi’s Mustafabad area, killing eleven people. That building was reportedly constructed without proper authorization, and the MCD later confirmed it had been standing for about 20 years.

With three collapses in less than six weeks, concerns are mounting about construction quality, regulatory oversight, and the preparedness of civic authorities in ensuring structural safety—especially in areas with ongoing development or redevelopment.

The Delhi Police have registered a case and are questioning the contractor and workers involved in the Paharganj construction project. Preliminary findings indicate that the construction may not have adhered to approved design norms. The absence of proper support systems for the basement wall is being considered a probable cause.

Delhi’s urban centers, particularly older and densely built neighborhoods like Paharganj, have seen a sharp rise in redevelopment projects in recent years. However, this growth has also exposed the vulnerabilities of informal and unregulated construction, especially when combined with changing weather patterns and extreme events such as dust storms and sudden rains.

The authorities have issued an advisory to all ongoing construction sites across the city, urging contractors and engineers to conduct immediate safety reviews, especially for sites involving basement excavation and high retaining walls.

As per protocol, the bodies of the deceased have been sent for post-mortem. Officials are in the process of identifying the victims and contacting their families.