11 dead, 10 still trapped: What really caused Delhi’s Mustafabad building to collapse?

A four-storey residential building in northeast Delhi‘s Shakti Vihar area of Mustafabad collapsed in the early hours of Saturday, killing at least 11 people and injuring several others. Rescue teams continued to search the debris through the day, with officials fearing that around 10 more people may still be trapped beneath the rubble. The incident occurred around 3 a.m., waking residents in the area to screams and the sound of crumbling concrete.

Eleven people were rescued alive and rushed to local hospitals. Of them, five remain under medical care while six have been discharged. Among the deceased is the building’s landlord, Tehsin, along with multiple members of his family.

What caused the Mustafabad building collapse?

Preliminary investigations suggest the collapse was triggered by structural damage caused during recent renovation work. According to Chand Mohammad, Tehsin’s son and one of the survivors, the landlord had recently initiated repairs on the ground floor, including the removal of a critical load-bearing wall. Authorities believe this may have compromised the building’s stability.

Additionally, experts suspect that prolonged water seepage from a leaking nearby sewer had weakened the foundation. Combined with the unauthorised construction of additional floors over the years, these factors appear to have played a significant role in the collapse.

The building, reportedly around two decades old, was located in an unauthorised colony with narrow access lanes and high population density, making both construction oversight and rescue operations challenging.

Delhi CM orders probe, relief announced

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has ordered an inquiry into the collapse and visited the site to meet rescue officials and victims’ families. She described the incident as a grave failure of enforcement and vowed that those responsible would be held accountable.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also extended condolences and announced financial aid of ₹2 lakh for the families of each deceased and ₹50,000 for those injured, to be disbursed through the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) admitted that the building was erected without approval and lacked key structural certifications. The agency has now begun surveying surrounding buildings in Mustafabad to prevent a repeat of such incidents.

Spotlight on unauthorised colonies and illegal construction

The Mustafabad tragedy has reignited debate over building safety in Delhi’s unauthorised colonies, where structures are often built or modified without adherence to construction norms. Structural engineers have warned that such violations—especially when they involve removing walls or altering foundations—can cause entire buildings to fail.

Experts from the Central Building Research Institute highlighted the need for mandatory safety audits and warned against informal modifications conducted without engineering consultation. In Mustafabad and similar colonies, where demand for affordable housing runs high, many buildings are expanded vertically without structural reinforcement, compounding the risks.

The MCD’s decision to inspect nearby structures may lead to several being deemed unsafe. Residents have expressed concerns about potential demolitions but also acknowledged the urgent need for stricter oversight and building code enforcement.

Community responds amid grief and uncertainty

Locals were the first responders, using bare hands and basic tools to pull people from the debris before professional teams arrived. Several neighbouring homes were temporarily evacuated as a precaution, and emergency shelters were established nearby to support displaced families.

Trauma counsellors and volunteer organisations have begun assisting those affected, particularly children and elderly survivors. Local schools and community halls have been opened up to accommodate families who lost their homes in the collapse.

As rescue operations continue, the focus remains on recovering those still feared trapped and preventing further loss of life. The tragedy has left the Mustafabad community in mourning—and raised broader questions about how Delhi can ensure safety in its rapidly growing and often unregulated urban pockets.