Gurugram, March 10: At least seven construction workers lost their lives and four others were injured after a mound of soil collapsed at a construction site of a residential project in the Sidhrawali area of Gurugram, officials said on Tuesday. The incident occurred on Monday evening during the construction of a Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP) at the project site.
According to officials, around 12 to 15 labourers were working at the site when a large mound of soil suddenly caved in, trapping several workers under the debris. The workers were reportedly working several feet below ground level when the collapse occurred.
Upon receiving information about the incident, a team from the Bilaspur Police Station in Gurugram rushed to the spot along with personnel from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). Rescue operations were immediately launched to pull the trapped workers out from beneath the debris.
The injured workers were rescued and rushed to a nearby hospital in Bhiwadi, Rajasthan. However, seven of them were declared dead on arrival by doctors. Officials said the victims are believed to have died due to asphyxiation after being buried under the soil.
Police identified the deceased workers as Shivshankar, Parmeshwar Mahto, Mangal Mahto, Bhagirath Gope, Satish, Sanjeev Gope, and Dhananjay Mahto. The injured have been identified as Indrajit, Chhotelal, Shivkam Chaudhary, who are residents of Nepal, and Deendayal Sharma.
DSP Yogesh of Bhiwadi said the bodies will be sent to Gurugram for postmortem examination. Police teams have also established contact with the families of the victims and informed them about the tragic incident.
Officials said necessary legal procedures are currently underway. Once family members of the deceased arrive and submit formal complaints, a case will be registered and appropriate legal action will be initiated.
Meanwhile, relatives of the deceased workers expressed anger over the incident and alleged negligence on the part of authorities and the construction management. One family member demanded compensation of Rs 50 lakh for the victims’ families.
Some relatives also claimed they were not allowed to approach the construction site after the incident, further fueling resentment among the affected families.
The company has been served a notice following the incident at the construction site in Sidhwarali, police said.
The construction company’s response was awaited at the time of filing this report.
A spokesperson from Signature Global (India) Ltd. said, “We are deeply saddened by the tragic incident at our under-construction site in Sidhrawali, Gurugram, which led to the loss of lives and injuries to workers. Our teams immediately reached the site and began response and support measures. Prima facie, the incident appears to involve negligence by the construction contractor, Balajee Infratech & Constructions Pvt. Ltd., and a show-cause notice has been issued. An independent inquiry has been initiated and three personnel linked to the project have been suspended. We are providing financial, medical and logistical support to the affected workers and their families and are cooperating fully with authorities.”