'Guilty Will Not Be Spared': Delhi CM Rekha Gupta on Satya Niketan Building Collapse; 11 Rescued

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday said 11 people had been rescued after a residential building collapsed in South-West Delhi’s Satya Niketan area and vowed strict action against those responsible for the incident.

Gupta, who visited the site to oversee the ongoing rescue operation, said the government’s priority was to save those trapped under the debris and assess the condition of those who had been rescued.

“11 people have been rescued. I am going to the hospital. We need to understand the condition of all those who have been rescued. I can say this much: whoever is responsible for this, whether it is the building owner or an official, will not be spared,” she said.

Providing details about the preliminary cause of the collapse, Gupta said renovation and excavation work was underway in the old building when a pillar shifted.

“The building was old, and some construction and renovation work was underway. Some kind of excavation was being carried out in the basement, due to which a pillar shifted and the entire building collapsed,” Gupta added.

The Chief Minister said the building was being used as a paying guest accommodation and that children were inside when it collapsed.

“The building was being used as a PG (Paying Guest), and children were inside. All agencies are continuously working,” she said.
“Our priority is to save the lives of these children first. The rescue operation will continue in the same manner. All officials are present here, and there will be no shortage of any kind. However, the guilty will not be spared,” Gupta added.

Meanwhile, two people were killed in the building collapse near Satya Niketan, authorities said.

“A total of seven people were brought to the AIIMS Trauma Centre, and one person was brought to Safdarjung Hospital. Of those brought to the AIIMS Trauma Centre, two were declared brought dead,” the AIIMS Trauma Centre said.

Rescue operations by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and local authorities continued at the site to ascertain whether anyone else remained trapped under the debris.

Earlier, Gupta visited the site to take stock of the situation and oversee the search and rescue operations.