Kolkata building collapse: Mayor blames ‘Left era’, orders demolition; promoter arrested

The absconding promoter of a four-storey building that partially collapsed in Vidyasagar Colony, Baghajatin, Kolkata, on Tuesday, was arrested by the Kolkata Police after a tip-off Thursday, from a resort in Bakkhali, in South 24 Parganas district.

It was unoccupied at that time. The local residents reported that one side of the building was uneven, and construction to rectify it had begun a month ago. They alleged that the building exceeded the permitted three floors with an illegal fourth floor.

Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim ordered the gradual demolition of the building.

Criticising previous government, he said, “We’re carrying the sins of the Left-era. The floors should be demolished one by one to avoid impact on other buildings. Jadavpur University’s experts are supervising.”