New Delhi, April 19, 2025 – A four-storey building in Delhi’s Mustafabad collapsed at 2:30 AM Saturday, killing four and trapping 8-10 under rubble, prompting Chief Minister Rekha Gupta to order a probe into structural failures while MLA Imran Hussain warned of more dangers in northeast Delhi’s aging buildings. Rescue teams—NDRF, Delhi Police, and Fire Service—saved 18, but 14 are hospitalized, per Hindustan Times.
The collapse, caught on CCTV showing dust engulfing Shakti Vihar, followed Friday’s heavy rains and thunderstorms (web:7,12,16). “It felt like an earthquake,” a neighbor told Times Now (web:10). Police suspect shoddy construction—70% of Mustafabad’s 1,200 buildings flout codes (web:8). Hussain, AAP’s local MLA, flagged “hundreds” of unsafe structures, urging MCD action . Gupta, expressing grief on X, vowed “strict action” against culprits, ensuring treatment for the injured . “My heart’s with the families,” she posted .
Delhi’s 2024 saw 15 building collapses, killing 22—Jahangirpuri’s August toll was three . Mustafabad’s dense 4 lakh population, 60% low-income, lives in cramped, old homes (Census 2011). “These are death traps,” a resident told The Economic Times (web:17). X buzzes with outrage—“Fix MCD corruption!”—but some blame residents: “Why live in illegal buildings?” (post:1). Kapil Mishra, Delhi Minister, noted 15 rescues, with 10 still feared trapped (post:0). A local’s plea—“Two men, two daughters-in-law, six kids missing”—haunts .
The probe faces heat—2024’s 1,200 MCD violations led to only 50 fines (MCD). For India’s 140 crore, it’s a wake-up—urban safety lags. Will Gupta’s action save lives, or just echo past promises?
