Death toll in Taratala collapse rises to 11; CM Suvendu announces 10-lakh ex-gratia

The death toll from the catastrophic under-construction warehouse collapse in Kolkata's Taratala area has risen to 11, as search and rescue teams recovered more bodies from beneath the massive structural debris. Multi-agency operations involving the Indian Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and state civil defense teams have been working tirelessly since Wednesday afternoon to clear the crushed concrete and twisted iron beams. Several other laborers remain hospitalized at the state-run SSKM Medical College and Hospital, with medical teams closely monitoring those still in critical condition.

Addressing the state assembly on Thursday, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari expressed profound sorrow over the loss of lives and officially announced a substantial financial relief package for the victims. The state government will provide an ex-gratia compensation of ₹10 lakh each to the next of kin of those who tragically lost their lives in the structural collapse. Additionally, comprehensive medical expenses and financial assistance will be extended to all the injured workers undergoing emergency treatment.

During his address to the House, the Chief Minister heavily targeted the previous Trinamool Congress (TMC) regime for institutional corruption, revealing that the sanctioned plan for the ill-fated warehouse was completely faulty and had been approved earlier this year. Taking immediate executive action, Adhikari announced a complete halt to all under-construction commercial projects in the city approved by the previous government until July 31. A high-level multi-agency team will perform strict safety audits on these sites before any construction is permitted to resume.