New four-storey building collapses in Burari, 12 rescued
New Delhi (PTI): A newly constructed four-storey building came crashing down Monday evening in north Delhi's Burari, officials said, adding 12 people have been rescued so far but more are feared trapped.
In a statement, the Delhi Police said they received information around 7 pm that a building, spread in 200 square yards near the Oscar Public School, has collapsed.
"The PCR call was received at 6.58 pm. The rescue operation is still under process and we feel some people are still trapped. Police, fire, DDMA and NDRF personnel are on the spot. So far, 12 persons have been rescued and taken to the nearest hospital," it said.
Delhi Fire Services chief Atul Garg said, "Our team rescued three girls and a man who were all taken to a nearby hospital,"
The DFS said that the incident prompted an immediate response from the emergency services. DFS chief Garg said nine fire tenders have been deployed to the site to aid the rescue operations.
Police have cordoned off the area to prevent further accidents.
Delhi Chief Minister Atishi said on X, "This incident of building collapse in Burari is extremely sad. I have spoken to the local administration to ensure speedy relief and rescue operations. All possible help will be provided to the affected people."
Former Delhi CM and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal said in a post, "This incident is very sad. Our MLA from Burari, Sanjeev Jha, has been instructed to immediately go there with party workers and help the administration in relief and rescue work. Also help the local people in every possible way."
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Crowd management efforts ramped up at Maha Kumbh after stampede
Mahakumbh Nagar (PTI): A day after a stampede at the Maha Kumbh left 30 dead, the Uttar Pradesh government ramped up efforts to ensure crowd management and safety of devotees who continued to flock here in large numbers for the religious gathering.
The devotees braved the pre-dawn chill and dense fog to take a dip in the Sangam and at other ghats here on Thursday.
More than 55.11 lakh devotees had taken the holy dip till 8:00 am, according to the Uttar Pradesh government.
Superintendent of Police (Traffic) Anshuman Mishra told PTI that the area would remain a no-vehicle zone until the crowd disperses completely.
"Vehicle passes will not be valid until all devotees have safely left for their destinations. No outside vehicles would be allowed to enter the city until the crowd exits the Mela area," he said.
However, senior officials may grant permission for vehicle entry based on the situation, he said.
Mishra clarified that essential services such as police administration vehicles, ambulances and suction machines would be allowed entry as they are crucial for the smooth management of the Maha Kumbh.
Pilgrims, including women and children, were seen walking to and fro the various ghats amid reduced visibility. Many had thin blankets covering their bodies while some stopped by bonfires along the routes to keep themselves warm.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh and Director General of Police Prashant Kumar are scheduled to reach here later in the day for a detailed probe into the stampede.
The top officers would also conduct a thorough review of the arrangements in the Mela area, Chief Minister Adityanath said on Wednesday night.
"Every aspect related to security and public convenience must be carefully examined to ensure seamless arrangements for Basant Panchami (Feb 3 - Amrit Snan)," he said.
In a bid to further strengthen the arrangements, the Uttar Pradesh government will also be deploying two former senior officers on Mela duty -- Ashish Goyal, who served as divisional commissioner of Prayagraj for the 2019 Kumbh, and Bhanu Goswami, former vice chairman of the Agra Development Authority.
Additionally, five special secretary-level officers are being assigned to oversee operations. All of them will remain in Prayagraj till February 12 to assist in streamlining the arrangements, Adityanath said.
Besides 30 deaths, 60 people were injured in the pre-dawn stampede on Wednesday in the Sangam area of the Maha Kumbh as millions of pilgrims jostled for space to take a holy dip on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya, one of the most auspicious days of the Hindu calendar.
Maha Kumbh DIG Vaibhav Krishna said the incident took place due to crowd pressure. The crowd broke barricades and jumped to the other side, crushing those waiting there, he said.
On Wednesday, more than 7.64 crore devotees had a 'snan' at the Maha Kumbh, the highest in a single day so far. The footfall since the beginning of the mega event had crossed 27.58 crore by the end of Wednesday, according to the Uttar Pradesh government.
The Maha Kumbh kicked off on January 13 and will continue till February 26.
