KMC suspends all construction in Kolkata till July 31 after Taratala incident

KOLKATA: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has issued a public notice directing the suspension of all construction activities within its jurisdiction until July 31, or until further orders, following the collapse of an under-construction godown shed on Wednesday in the city’s Taratala area that killed 14 people and left 19 injured.

According to the notice issued by the KMC, “In view of the unfortunate sudden collapse of an under-construction building wherein many labourers have been trapped, causing damage to life and putting at risk lives of those who are trapped under the structure and those who are involved in the rescue operation over the collapsed building, it is evident that an emergency has arisen.”

Deeply pained and saddened by the tragic loss of lives due to the collapse of an under-construction warehouse building near Brace Bridge in Taratala, where several workers got trapped beneath the debris. So far 21 people have been pulled out of the collapsed structure, out of… pic.twitter.com/Hq9vZhg5AI

— Suvendu Adhikari (@SuvenduWB) June 24, 2026

The notice issued on Wednesday further added that, “In the exercise of power as derived from u/s 37 of KMC Act 1980, to ensure safety of public, the Builders/Developers/Societies/Individuals within the KMC jurisdiction from Borough I to XVI are hereby directed not to proceed with construction works till 31st July, 2026 or until further order, if any, whichever is earlier.”

Meanwhile, rescue operations continue in the area as authorities assess the extent of damage and safety risks at the site. This came after an under-construction godown shed collapsed near Brace Bridge in Kolkata’s Taratala area on Wednesday, triggering a large-scale rescue operation involving multiple agencies. The incident occurred at around 12:07 pm.

Further, Kolkata Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Kunal Agrawal said on Thursday that five persons have been arrested in connection with the godown collapse case. He added that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) and the Detective Department (DD) are jointly probing the incident.

“A suo motu FIR was lodged against five individuals and others. Four persons named in the FIR have been arrested. Additionally, another individual, whose name was not initially mentioned in the FIR, has also been arrested,” Agrawal said. (ANI)