Chawri Bazar Tragedy: Police Alerted MCD In June, Civic Body Claims Owner Misused Repair Advisory

A Delhi Police communication to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) warning of unauthorised construction at a Chawri Bazar property, more than five months before its deadly collapse on Thursday, has raised questions over the civic body's response to the alleged violations.

Documents accessed by Hindustan Times (HT) show that police had alerted the MCD about construction activity at the property in June and requested the civic agency to take necessary action. The MCD acknowledged receiving the communication but claimed that the building owner had misused an earlier advisory for structural repairs to carry out unauthorised construction of additional floors.

Delhi Police Flagged Unauthorised Construction In June

In a letter dated June 15, 2026, the station house officer (SHO) of Hauz Qazi police station informed the deputy commissioner of the MCD's City SP Zone about unauthorised construction at property number 4547-48 in Gali Sheesh Mahal, Ajmeri Gate.

The communication identified a man named Furqan as the property's landowner and contractor. It described the premises as a residential property spread across approximately 70 square yards, where new construction was allegedly underway, HT reported.

The SHO urged the civic body to alert the relevant agencies and initiate necessary action. The police also offered assistance for any intervention required at the site, except on Fridays.

“In continuation of earlier communication made vide No. ... SHO/Hauz Qazi dated ..., I am to inform you that unauthorised construction is being carried out in the above said premises. You are requested to inform concerned agencies for necessary action at their end,” the letter stated.

It further assured the civic authorities that police assistance would be made available whenever required.

A senior official familiar with the investigation told HT that the police had alerted the MCD after receiving complaints about the construction but were unaware of any action subsequently taken by the civic body.

“After receiving complaints, we had informed MCD about unauthorised construction at 4547 Gali Sheesh Mahal, Chawri Bazar, on June 15, but we are not aware of any action being taken,” the official said, requesting anonymity.

The communication has brought the MCD's subsequent response under scrutiny, particularly whether the civic agency conducted an inspection or initiated enforcement proceedings after receiving the police alert.

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MCD Says Owner Misused Repair Advisory To Carry Out Construction

Responding to the allegations, the MCD said its records showed that the Maintenance Department in the Old Delhi Zone had issued an advisory to the building's owner, Samiullah, on April 28, 2026.

The advisory had flagged the deteriorating condition of the structure and instructed the owner to undertake necessary strengthening and corrective work in accordance with building bye-laws. Such work was to be carried out under the supervision of a qualified structural engineer.

The civic body clarified that the advisory did not authorise reconstruction of the property.

According to the MCD, it received information from Delhi Police about unauthorised construction on June 15 and subsequently conducted an inspection. During the visit, officials found the owner carrying out repair work at the premises. The civic body claimed it did not receive any further complaint about fresh construction activity thereafter.

“On June 15, 2026, information was received from Delhi Police regarding unauthorised construction activity at the said property... Taking cognisance of the communication, an inspection was conducted, during which the owner was found undertaking repair work at the premises. No subsequent complaint regarding fresh construction activity... was received thereafter,” the MCD said.

However, the civic body alleged that the owner had used the repair work as a pretext to construct new portions on the second and third floors without obtaining the necessary permissions or informing the authorities, the HT report said.

The MCD further claimed that the owner had violated the conditions of its advisory as well as applicable building bye-laws.

“It is further reported that the shuttering of the third-floor lintel was hurriedly removed, reportedly in apprehension of restrictions on the ongoing construction activity, following which the third-floor lintel collapsed, triggering the collapse of the entire building,” the statement said.

Two MCD Engineers Suspended, FIR Against Owners And Contractors

Following the collapse, Mayor Pravesh Wahi confirmed that the area's junior engineer and assistant engineer had been suspended. He also promised an inquiry into whether officials had ignored earlier complaints about the property.

“We will conduct an inquiry and if such prior complaints are found to have been ignored by any officials, we will take even stricter action against them,” Wahi said.

The building, situated in the congested lanes of Chawri Bazar, collapsed in two stages on Thursday morning. The remaining floors came crashing down around 15 minutes after the initial collapse. 

Rescue operations were complicated by the narrow lanes surrounding the property, which prevented heavy machinery, including JCBs, from accessing the site.

Hours after the incident, the MCD suspended assistant engineer Mohd Naeem and junior engineer Aman Dalal on the directions of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. The chief minister also ordered a detailed investigation and directed that an FIR be registered against the contractor.

Delhi Police subsequently registered a case under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, against the building owners and contractors.