A day after the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team wrapped up search operations from the building collapse site at Garden Reach, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and the Disaster Management team of the city police today took over the task of removing the debris from the accident site.

Even as the NDRF is said to have completed the rescue operations, there are apprehensions of one person still being trapped under the rubble. The municipal corporation is being assisted by the teams of personnel from the state fire and emergency services along with the Disaster Management team of Kolkata Police in hunting the anticipated trapped person. The civic body undertook the demolition of the remaining structure and removal of the debris.

As the hunt continued, KMC mayor Firhad Hakim visited the spot again to take note of the situation. He also visited one of the affected families in the area. “I visited the family of the person who is said to be missing. His family members have requested that the rescue operation should not be stopped like yesterday and be carried out round-the-clock,” said mayor Firhad Hakim, today. “Since the municipal corporation has taken up the task now, the rescue operation would continue day and night unless the body is found,” he added.

Notably, an illegal construction in a narrow space of about five feet between two multi-storeys, has been making headlines since the occurrence of the disaster on Sunday night at Ward 134. The multi-storey structure has been making rounds on social media while becoming a draw among the local residents. The structure, however, is said to be illegal and has been built in violation of the building rules of the civic body. Responding to the question of the illegal construction in the narrow space, the mayor claimed to be unaware of it. “How would I know about this? I have come for a rescue operation and will do that. I am not sitting with the laws in my hands,” said the mayor.

Meanwhile, the municipal corporation is mulling to introduce more stringent rules to curb illegal construction. As learnt from sources, the civic body is considering adding Sections 406 and 420 of the Indian Penal Code to the present norms of 401 and 406 of the KMC while demolishing an illegal construction.