Datanomics: Residential buildings face highest risk of structural collapse

Residential buildings account for nearly two-thirds of structural collapses in India, underscoring persistent concerns over construction quality and safety

In a span of just one week, three incidents of house collapse were reported in Delhi’s Saket, Mukundpur, and Karawal Nagar. Of these, the first two were in unauthorised settlements. According to official data, Delhi has 1,731 unauthorised colonies, excluding those on prohibited land such as areas notified for forests. An official statement said the government has “enabled” regularisation of 87 per cent of these colonies.

 

Nationwide, 65,008 cases of structural collapse, resulting in 75,812 fatalities, were recorded between 1995 and 2024. Data shows a fluctuating but consistently high number of such incidents over the decades. From 1995-2004, there were 21,252 cases. This number rose to 26,570 between 2005 and 2014, before declining to 17,186 during 2015-2024. The breakdown of collapses from 2015 to 2024 reveals that the majority, about 64 per cent, involved dwelling houses or residential buildings. Official or commercial buildings accounted for 3 per cent of cases, while dam collapse made up just 0.5 per cent. These figures highlight that residential structures remain the most vulnerable category of collapse.