New Delhi: Two MCD engineers have been suspended with immediate effect in connection with the collapse of a three-storey commercial building near Saket Metro station that left four people dead, officials said on Sunday.
According to an order by the Deputy Commissioner of MCD's South Zone, Assistant Engineer (Building) Sudesh Singh Chouhan and Junior Engineer (Building) Aman Jain have been placed under suspension over alleged lapses in supervision related to the building that collapsed in the Saidulajab area on Saturday.
The order concerning Chouhan stated that he was suspended for "non-exercising of effective supervision and slackness on his part" in connection with the collapse of the property, and Jain was suspended for "dereliction of duties and slackness on his part".
The suspensions came a day after the three-storey commercial building near Saket Metro station collapsed, triggering a massive rescue operation involving multiple agencies.
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The death toll in the incident rose to four on Sunday, while several others were rescued from the debris and shifted to hospital.
The building on Western Marg housed a coaching institute, cafes and offices. Construction work was underway on the upper floor at the time of the collapse.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Anant Mittal said the structure was reduced to rubble, with debris falling onto an adjoining tin-shed canteen frequented by students preparing for medical entrance examinations.
A multi-agency rescue operation involving the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Delhi Fire Service (DFS), Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), Delhi Police and local volunteers continued through the night.
Rescue teams used heavy machinery, hydraulic cutters, victim-location cameras and sniffer dogs to search for those trapped beneath the debris. The operation was later concluded after all trapped persons were accounted for.
Authorities have initiated an inquiry, while the exact cause of the collapse is yet to be ascertained.
