The West Bengal government has initiated a comprehensive audit of sanctioned plans for high-rise residential and commercial buildings across Kolkata and surrounding urban areas following the recent warehouse collapse that claimed 11 lives. The move is aimed at strengthening building safety, ensuring compliance with approved plans, and preventing similar tragedies in the future.
A special committee constituted by the state government is set to begin the audit process, examining both sanctioned building plans and the structural integrity of ongoing construction projects. The panel is headed by senior government official Rajesh Pandey and includes representatives from multiple departments along with technical experts from RITES and IIT Kharagpur.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced that the audit would focus on verifying whether buildings under construction adhere to approved plans, structural safety requirements, and other statutory regulations. The committee will begin its work immediately, with physical inspections complementing the scrutiny of official building approvals.
The government had temporarily suspended construction activities on commercial projects following the warehouse collapse. However, the Chief Minister clarified that the suspension is not intended as a blanket halt to development until July 31. Instead, projects that successfully clear the audit will be permitted to resume construction without waiting for the deadline.
According to the government, every project assessed during the exercise will fall into one of three categories—clearance, rectification, or rejection. Buildings found to be fully compliant with approved plans and safety norms will receive immediate permission to continue construction. Projects with minor deficiencies will be directed to rectify the identified issues before resuming work, while those with major violations could face rejection and further legal action.
The audit will initially cover the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation, Rajarhat-New Town, Kalyani, Baruipur, Budge Budge, Maheshtala, Rajpur-Sonarpur, South Dum Dum, Kamarhati, Baranagar, and parts of the Howrah Municipal Corporation. Central and state government infrastructure projects, including Metro Railway and National Highways works, have been kept outside the scope of the exercise.
In addition to examining structural safety, the committee has been assigned a 90-day mandate to review fire safety systems in high-rise and commercial buildings. This includes inspecting firefighting infrastructure, fire licences, and lightning arresters to ensure compliance with prescribed standards.
The government will also conduct an audit of waterbodies in the identified urban areas and direct developers to maintain construction sites properly by eliminating stagnant water and other potential public health hazards.
Recognising the impact of the temporary suspension on construction workers, the state government has appealed to major real estate developers to provide food and temporary accommodation for migrant labourers affected during the audit period.
The Chief Minister also urged architects, planners, engineers, and construction supervisors who may have faced pressure to approve illegal structures or pay bribes to report such incidents to the authorities, assuring that every complaint would be investigated.
