Delhi Building Collapse: Two MCD Engineers Suspended, Police Search for Builders After Two Killed in Chawri Bazaar

November 5, 2026

New Delhi: Two engineers of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) have been suspended on allegations of negligence in the collapse of an under-construction building in Old Delhi’s Chawri Bazaar area killing two people and injuring four others.

An assistant engineer and a junior engineer were immediately suspended by the civic body citing “prima facie evidence of gross negligence on part of the employees”. The suspension orders were issued by the Deputy Commissioner of the Old Delhi Zone.

The incident occurred when a three-storey building in Gali Sitara, close to Chawri Bazaar Metro station, collapsed at around 9.50 am on Thursday.

Police Identify Builders

“The builders have been identified. We are trying to trace them,” said DCP Central, Rohit Rajbir Singh.

“Construction was happening without permission. We have sent letters to the concerned authorities,” he added.

“We have been following up but they were still constructing,” he said.

When the building collapsed there were around 10 to 15 labourers working in the area. However, it is possible that there could have been more workers in the area.

Two People Killed

Two people were killed. Four others were injured and rushed to the hospital by locals before fire department staff arrived.

Fire department staff from Delhi Fire Services recovered the bodies from the rubble. However police said they were still trying to identify who they were.

Many were believed to be trapped causing several rescue attempts by teams of Delhi Fire Services and others.

No Plan Approved

A senior MCD official said the building was on a plot of land measuring around 50 square metres. There was no approved building plan for the three-storey building and there had been no complains made with the civic body.

“They had reportedly stopped construction around 15 days ago,” he added.

It is alleged the building collapsed when workers were attempting to dismantle the supporting structure of the building’s roof. Officials said the building may have collapsed due to the use of unengineered material which had not set properly.

Officials are looking into what lead to the collapse.