Two women buried as dilapidated house collapses in Jaipur; elderly lady dies on spot

Jaipur, Sep 18 (IANS) A dilapidated house in Jaipur's old city collapsed early on Thursday morning, burying two women under the rubble. One of the women, Dhannibai (60), tragically died at the scene. The second woman, Sunita (35), suffered a leg fracture and facial injuries. The incident occurred at 7 A.M. in the Subhash Chowk Police Station area and help arrived two hours late.

According to family members, the rescue team, despite being informed of the mishap immediately after the collapse, only arrived at around 9 A.M., two hours after the accident.

Locals called Tarun Mahawar, a relative of the injured women, to inform him about the incident.

Fortunately, the two children living in the house were outside playing at the time of the collapse and were unharmed.

The area is a hub of unsafe, dilapidated buildings. A few days ago, a mansion in Subhash Chowk collapsed, resulting in the deaths of a father and daughter.

Following the tragic accident, a list of 48 dilapidated buildings was compiled by the Jaipur Municipal Corporation, and action was taken to seal eight buildings in the Kishanpol area.

However, these recent deaths have raised serious concerns about the municipality’s response to the safety of old buildings. The house where the collapse occurred was inhabited by the two women and a housekeeper.

The owner, who lives nearby, was reportedly aware of the building’s poor condition but failed to take any action. Local residents Pratap Singh and Ghanshyam Soni mentioned that after being trapped under the debris, Sunita was screaming for help, but no immediate assistance came.

Deputy Commissioner Seema Chaudhary of the Hawamahal Zone stated that notices have been issued to all owners of dilapidated buildings in the area, and surveys are being conducted.

Announcements have been made for people to vacate unsafe structures, with some being relocated to government-designated buildings.

The delay in rescue operations and the ongoing neglect of unsafe buildings have sparked outrage among locals, who are calling for greater accountability from the Jaipur Municipal Corporation and building owners to prevent further tragedies.

--IANS

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