Seelampur building collapse: Minister promises thorough probe, blames previous governments for negligence

Minister Kapil Mishra on Saturday took stock of the situation and met with the families of the victims who lost their lives in the tragic building collapse at Janta Mazdoor Colony in North East Delhi’s Seelampur.

He alleged that the incident was a direct result of previous governments turning a blind eye to illegal constructions.

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Mishra assured that a detailed investigation will be conducted and strict action will be taken against those found guilty. He expressed deep condolences to the bereaved families and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.

Calling the incident extremely saddening and painful, Mishra stated that due to the narrow width of the lane, machinery could not reach the spot, and debris had to be removed manually. As a precautionary measure, two to three nearby buildings have been vacated due to the risk of collapse.

Leveling serious accusations against previous administrations, Mishra said incidents like those in Mustafabad and now Seelampur clearly show that, over the last ten years, illegal constructions were deliberately overlooked for vote-bank politics.

He alleged that such negligence has put innocent lives at risk and questioned whether AAP leaders would take moral responsibility for the deaths.

He assured that the current government will conduct a transparent and comprehensive investigation, and that strict action will be taken against all those found guilty whether public officials or elected representatives.

Mishra, who visited the site on the instructions of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, personally monitored the relief operations. According to the minister, around 100 personnel from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi were deployed for rescue efforts.

Mishra also noted that following the recent collapse in Mustafabad, several dangerously built five- to six-storey buildings have since been identified and vacated. Some of these structures, he said, were supported only by iron poles, posing severe safety hazards.

The tragedy unfolded on Saturday morning in Janta Mazdoor Colony, Seelampur, where a four-storey building collapsed, resulting in the death of six people and injuries to several others. Rescue operations were conducted by teams from the NDRF, Fire Department, Delhi Police, and Civil Defence.