A 100-foot tall mobile tower collapsed in South Delhi’s Safdarjung Enclave during the wee hours on Sunday following a powerful thunderstorm accompanied by heavy rain in the national capital. The incident occurred as gusty winds swept across the city. According to the residents of Block B2, the tower fell around 4 am when strong winds accompanied by rain hit the area. No casualties or injuries were reported.
Speaking of the incident, local resident Meenu Kapoor said, “Our house is just behind where the tower fell at 4 AM. It's God's grace that it fell away; otherwise, anything would have happened to my family. We ask the government to remove the towers or let them be in the way of people, then they will realise. They lied to us, saying that a street light is being installed."
Political backlash, allegations of negligence
Aam Aadmi Party leader, Somnath Bharti, visited the site and sharply criticised the authorities for ignoring repeated objections from residents regarding the tower's installation. "This tower was erected despite heavy protests. If it had fallen during the day or on the residential side, the loss would have been unimaginable," he said in a post on X.
Bharti alleged the tower had been illegally installed in a residential zone, adding that multiple appeals were made to the MCD, police, and elected officials, but no action was taken. Calling the incident a "near-miss tragedy," he demanded strict accountability. “An FIR must be filed. This is criminal negligence—an attempt to murder,” he told ANI, reiterating that mobile towers should not be allowed in areas of human habitation.
Delhi weather update
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed that two intense thundersqualls hit the Safdarjung area between 3:48 AM and 4:00 AM, with wind speeds peaking at 104 kmph. The weather system also brought hailstorm activity to parts of Delhi, temporarily disrupting traffic and causing waterlogging in low-lying areas.
IMD had earlier issued a thunderstorm and strong wind alert for the city, advising residents to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel due to risks from flying debris and low visibility. The storm brought much-needed relief from the extreme heatwave conditions that had gripped Delhi, with temperatures soaring above 45 degrees Celsius earlier in the week.