Kolkata: Human Cost of Taratala Warehouse Collapse

What was meant to be a bustling construction site has now turned into a Mrityupuri (sense of death). The collapse of an under-construction warehouse at Taratala in Kolkata on June 24, has left behind a trail of fresh corpses, blood-soaked debris and shattered families. The air is heavy with the heart-rending cries of relatives desperately searching for their loved ones. Many still cling to the hope that some workers may have survived beneath the rubble.

Since Wednesday afternoon (June 24), anxious family members have been gathering outside the site of the under-construction warehouse of a tea company on Transport Depot Road, near Brace Bridge railway station in Taratala. It was here that the massive structure suddenly collapsed, trapping scores of construction workers.

As of Friday night, 16 bodies had been recovered, while 33 injured workers remained hospitalised in critical condition. Rescue operations are continuing with personnel from Army, Kolkata Police and the disaster management department, assisted by sniffer dogs, combing through the debris in search of possible survivors.  Rescue teams fear that additional workers may still be trapped under the debris.

The tragedy has once again raised questions about the safety of construction workers. Why were so many labourers allowed to work beneath a massive structure without adequate safety measures? Could this disaster have been prevented?

Police have arrested five people in connection with the collapse. The incident has also put the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and its recently resigned Mayor, Trinamool Congress leader Firhad Hakim, under intense scrutiny.

Speaking in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly on Thursday (June 25), Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari displayed official KMC documents on the floor of the House, claiming that the building approval papers bore signatures of the then Mayor Firhad Hakim. He said that everyone found responsible for the tragedy would face strict legal action.

Kolkata Police have constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the incident. The investigation is being led by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Jaysurya Mukherjee.

Why Did So Many Construction Workers Die in Seconds?

According to officials of the Kolkata Port Authority, the land on which the warehouse was being built had been leased to Behara Brothers, a company engaged primarily in tea warehousing and packaging. The firm is owned by Shambhu Nath Behara, whose office is located in Munshiganj, while he resides in New Alipore.

Port Authority records show that the company obtained a 30- year lease for the property, effective from August 1, 2024. An old, dilapidated warehouse had previously stood on the site. Behara Brothers initially attempted to renovate the ageing structure, but when those efforts proved unsuccessful, it was demolished around a year ago to make way for the construction of a new 20,000-square- foot warehouse.

The construction work was being carried out by a contractor, Asgar Hossain. Residents of the area allege that Hossain is a close associate of Anwar Khan, the TMC Councillor of KMC’s ward Number 80.

It was when concrete was being poured over a framework of massive steel beams when the warning signs began to emerge. According to workers at the site, the steel and concrete structure had started to sway from Wednesday morning. Concerned by the unusual movement, those supervising the construction reportedly went to inspect the structure at around 12.30 p.m. Within moments, the entire roof gave way, crashing down with tremendous force and burying scores of construction workers beneath tonnes of concrete and twisted steel.

As news of the disaster spread, teams from the Fire and Emergency Services, Disaster Management Department, Kolkata Police and Army rushed to the site. Rescue teams battled against time, cutting through mangled steel beams with gas cutters and removing the debris. Heavy-duty cranes, including a ship crane, were brought in to stabilise the collapsed structure and prevent another cave-in during the rescue operation. Sniffer dogs were also deployed repeatedly to detect signs of life beneath the rubble. Their efforts helped save several lives as one survivor after another was pulled from the wreckage.

By Wednesday night, rescue teams had recovered the bodies of five workers, while many others were brought out alive and rushed to SSKM Hospital, where the battle to save their lives continued. The search for those still missing is being carried on through the night.

By Friday night, police had identified 12 victims whose bodies had been recovered from the collapsed structure. They are Krishna Choudhury (49), Rohit Choudhury (20), Chandrama Choudhury (60), Rahul Choudhury (17), Pappu Kumar Rajak (40), Ghi kumar (17), Asgar Hossein (54), Sahil Sardar (17), Hasan Imam (44), Ganesh Kalindi (45), Nabin Shigh (44), and Swapan Mandal (56). Police said four of the recovered bodies remain unidentified and have been sent to SSKM Hospital for post-mortem.

Rescue operations continued at the Taratala collapse site on Saturday.

Agony of the Families

“We have lost the only breadwinner of our family. How are we supposed to survive? said Shiuli Rajak, breaking down repeatedly as she spoke. Her husband Pappu Rajak, was among those killed.

The family lives in Bhatpara in North 24 Parganas. Pappu worked as a construction labourer. With little work available in his homeland, he had travelled to Taratala through a contractor about a month ago in search of a livelihood. He leaves behind his wife and their school-going daughter, who now face an uncertain future.

A similar scene of grief unfolded in the Purbasha area of Bhatpara. Krishna Choudhury, another victim, was the sole earning member, supporting his elderly mother, wife and their child. With his sudden death, the family has been left wondering how they will survive.

The tragedy has devastated several families, many of whom have lost their only source of income overnight.

The Centre of India Trade Unions (CITU) has stepped in to support the bereaved families. The organisation is demanding that one member from each affected family be offered a government job.

“One time compensation may provide temporary relief, but what will happen when that money runs out” said several victims' families.

CITU leader Gargi Chatterjee said the organisation had met each bereaved family and would continue to stand by them in their demand for government employment and long term rehabilitation.

Government Steps

The investigation into the deadly warehouse collapse has begun to expose what police believe may be a wider network of negligence and accountability failure.

On Thursday night, police arrested Kalicharan Banerjee, the special officer of KMC, in connection with the incident. Investigators suspect that a large nexus may have been involved in the approval of the allegedly flawed structural design.

The licence of the warehouse's design firm, Nekshas, has been revoked. Architect Supratim Choudhury and structural engineer Shantanu Dutta have also been blacklisted by KMC.

Investigators have uncovered glaring lapses in oversight. There are no official records showing how many workers were employed at the site when the structure collapsed. Officials said no representative from KMC had ever visited the site to inspect the construction work. The workers were allegedly forced to carry out their jobs under unsafe conditions, with little or no effective safety measures in place.

Police have so far arrested five people, including representatives of Behara Brothers, Ayan Traders, the site supervisor, the contractor responsible for the steel framework, and the labour supplier.

The writer covers the Jangalmahal region for ‘Ganashakti’ newspaper in West Bengal.