Building Collapse in Baghajatin Traps 150, Injures Several

Baby Chakraborty, KalimNews, January 15, 2025, Kolkata : A multi-storey building collapsed in the Vidyasagar Colony area of Baghajatin, near Kolkata, on Tuesday afternoon, triggering panic and chaos in the surrounding region. The incident resulted in two neighboring houses tilting under the pressure from the collapse, trapping around 150 people inside. Preliminary reports suggest that two to three people were injured in the disaster.

The building, located in Ward Number 99 of the Kolkata Municipality, had been showing signs of damage for some time. Local councilor Mitali Banerjee confirmed that cracks had been visible on the structure for a while, prompting the promoter to initiate repairs without informing the municipality. According to Banerjee, she had become aware of the situation about a week ago and had instructed the promoter to halt the repairs and meet with her. She further mentioned that construction work ceased temporarily, but due to her involvement in the Poush Parvan celebrations, no further follow-up was conducted. She also noted that the promoter had not met with her as requested.

Former Left councilor Debashis Mukherjee, who had served during Banerjee's tenure, revealed that the building had been constructed during her time in office. He also pointed out that the construction of buildings taller than three floors was prohibited in the area, accusing the promoter of carrying out unplanned and unauthorized construction.

Locals reported that the building had been gradually leaning for some time before the collapse. The promoter had reportedly brought in experts to attempt to straighten the structure when the disaster struck.

Rescue teams have been deployed to search for trapped individuals and to assist those injured in the collapse. Local authorities have begun investigating the cause of the disaster, with concerns over the safety and regulation of buildings in the area intensifying.