West Bengal Minister Agnimitra Paul on Thursday announced that all newly constructed buildings and projects under the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) jurisdiction will be reviewed following the collapse of an under-construction godown shed in Taratala that claimed eight lives. Speaking to ANI, Paul said the decision was taken on the instructions of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. She added that a meeting would be held to prepare standard operating procedures (SoPs) for carrying out the audits. The minister assured that strict action would be taken against those responsible for illegal constructions and negligence.

Paul also alleged that several illegal structures were permitted during the previous government’s tenure and said there would be no leniency for those found involved. Notices have reportedly been issued to unauthorised buildings as authorities begin efforts to address construction-related violations.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced financial assistance for the victims of the accident. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the families of the eight deceased will receive an ex-gratia amount of Rs 2 lakh each, while the 20 injured workers will be provided Rs 50,000 each from the Centre. The incident occurred on Wednesday when an under-construction godown shed near Brace Bridge in Kolkata’s Taratala area collapsed, leading to a major rescue operation involving multiple agencies. Kolkata Police confirmed that eight people died and 20 others were injured in the disaster.

In connection with the collapse, police arrested three individuals, including building supervisor Saiyad Md Gulzar and labour suppliers Md Ataul and Subhash Chowdhury. The West Bengal government has also formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT), led by Assistant Commissioner of Police Joysurja Mukherjee, to probe the incident.

West Bengal minister Dilip Ghosh claimed that the investigation could reveal links to influential political figures. He said those responsible for corruption would face punishment and suggested that more names could emerge during the inquiry. West Bengal Health Minister Sharadwat Mukherjee stated that most of the workers present at the site were from Bihar, with around 90–95 per cent of them having arrived in Kolkata just a few days before the accident.