Commission seeks report on Daryaganj building collapse

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of media reports regarding the collapse of an under-construction building in Daryaganj here on August 20, which claimed the lives of three migrant labourers from Bihar and left several others narrowly escaping death.

The commission observed that the contents of the report, if true, raised “serious issues of human rights violations” involving the safety and dignity of workers at construction sites, it said in a press note.

Moreover, the commission has issued notices to the Chief Secretary of the Government of NCT of Delhi, Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation and the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Central Delhi, seeking a detailed report within two weeks.

The incident took place on August 20 when a building being demolished collapsed near Sadbhavna Park in Central Delhi’s Daryaganj, leaving three workers dead.

The deceased were identified as Zubair (24), his uncle Taufiq (32) and Gulsagar (30). As many as 15 persons were working at the site when the incident took place, the police said.

Zubair and Taufiq were on the second floor when a portion of it collapsed. Gulsagar rushed in to save the duo, but he also got trapped underneath the debris as the rest of the portion came down, they said.