Suvendu Adhikari Blames TMC for Taratala Warehouse Tragedy, Vows Action Against Those Responsible

The collapse of an under-construction warehouse in Kolkata’s Taratala area has triggered a political storm, with West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari holding the previous Trinamool Congress (TMC) administration responsible for the disaster. The incident, which claimed multiple lives and left several workers injured, has intensified scrutiny over construction practices and regulatory oversight in the city.

Speaking in the state Assembly and later addressing reporters, Adhikari alleged that years of corruption, irregular approvals and negligence under the former TMC government contributed to the tragedy. He accused the previous administration of prioritising vested interests over public safety and said the collapse was a consequence of systemic failures in the construction approval process.

“The City of Joy has been turned into a City of Death,” Adhikari remarked, claiming that unchecked corruption and poor enforcement of building regulations had put countless lives at risk. He asserted that preliminary findings pointed to serious flaws in the warehouse’s structural design and planning.

The warehouse, located in the industrial belt of Taratala near Brace Bridge, came crashing down while construction work was in progress. Several labourers were trapped beneath the debris as rescue teams rushed to the site. Personnel from the fire department, disaster management agencies, police and other emergency services launched a large-scale operation to pull survivors from the rubble. While many workers were rescued, the death toll continued to rise as recovery efforts progressed.

According to the chief minister, early assessments by engineers suggested that deficiencies in the approved building plan may have played a major role in the collapse. He dismissed suggestions that weather conditions or soil instability were the primary causes, insisting that investigators focus on possible lapses in design, construction quality and regulatory approvals.

In response, the state government has ordered a comprehensive review of under-construction commercial projects that received approval during the previous regime. Several projects have been temporarily halted pending inspections and safety audits. Police have also initiated a criminal investigation into the incident, leading to multiple arrests. Authorities are examining whether construction norms were violated and whether any officials or contractors can be held accountable.