Kolkata Warehouse Collapse: CM Orders Audit of TMC-Era Projects

A tragic warehouse collapse in Kolkata's Taratala area on June 24, 2026, led to the deaths of at least 16 people and left many injured, prompting a swift and significant response from the West Bengal government. The under-construction, three-storey commercial warehouse, located on Transport Depot Road near Brace Bridge, caved in around noon, trapping several workers under debris. Initial reports indicated fewer casualties, but the death toll steadily rose as rescue operations, involving the Army, NDRF, SDRF, police, and fire services, continued. In the wake of the disaster, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari launched a scathing attack on the previous Trinamool Congress (TMC) government, alleging that the building plan for the collapsed warehouse was approved despite fundamental structural defects and faulty design. Adhikari specifically pointed fingers at former Kolkata mayor and TMC leader Firhad Hakim, claiming that the flawed sanction document bore Hakim's signature. He asserted in the assembly that "no one will be spared" and criticized the erstwhile TMC dispensation for allegedly failing to equip the state with modern rescue equipment and professional teams during their 15-year rule. Immediately following his visit to the accident site, Chief Minister Adhikari announced a comprehensive audit of all under-construction commercial projects that had received approval during the previous TMC government's tenure. To facilitate this audit, all construction work in the Kolkata Metropolitan Area, excluding emergency services, was suspended for four weeks, initially until July 31. Adhikari clarified that construction projects would only be allowed to resume once their plans and structures were thoroughly scrutinized and cleared by the audit committee. The audit is set to involve a multi-agency team comprising officials from the Public Works Department, Civil Defence, Fire and Emergency Services, Kolkata Police, and the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), operating under the guidance of the chief secretary. Furthermore, the Chief Minister announced an ex-gratia compensation of ₹10 lakh for the families of each deceased and ₹1 lakh for those injured in the incident. Five individuals directly linked to the construction work, including the land lessee, construction supervisor, and an official who brokered the sanctioned plan (identified as Kalicharan Banerjee, OSD to former KMC Mayor Firhad Hakim), were arrested. A Special Investigating Team (SIT) was formed by the Kolkata Police to probe the accident. The political fallout continued with the Bharatiya Janata Mazdoor Cell (BJMC), affiliated with the ruling BJP, lodging a police complaint seeking an FIR against former Kolkata mayor Firhad Hakim and two former councillors, Anwar Khan and Shams Iqbal. The complaint alleged their role in permitting illegal constructions and possible criminal conspiracy that led to repeated building and warehouse collapses in the Kolkata Port area. While Kolkata Police confirmed receiving the complaint, they stated that an FIR had not yet been registered, and investigations were ongoing. This incident has brought to the forefront concerns regarding urban planning, construction safety, and alleged corruption in the approval of building projects in Kolkata, particularly those sanctioned under previous administrations. The audit is expected to extend to fire safety systems and water bodies in identified urban areas, highlighting a broader review of infrastructure safety.

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