33,000 people died in India between 2020 and 2024 in building collapses, fires and falls into pits and manholes: Govt data

Nearly 33,000 people died across India between 2020 and 2024 in incidents involving building collapses, fires and falls into pits and manholes, according to government data cited in National Crime Records Bureau reports. A large share of these deaths occurred in urban areas, raising questions about civic infrastructure, enforcement of safety rules and the functioning of municipal bodies, a TOI report stated.

The actual toll could be higher because the available data does not include road deaths within municipal limits, many of which have been linked to potholes, or deaths associated with contaminated water.

Thousands of deaths every year

The NCRB data points to thousands of deaths each year from accidents that can often be prevented. Such incidents are linked to unsafe buildings, poor maintenance of public infrastructure and failure to follow safety regulations.


The figures highlight the role of local civic authorities in maintaining roads, drains, buildings and other public infrastructure. In cities, failures in these areas can quickly turn routine infrastructure problems into safety risks.

Recent incidents in Delhi have again drawn attention to the condition of civic services. Flooding in parts of Delhi and Gurgaon, along with the accumulation of garbage, has added to concerns over the state of municipal governance.

Questions over civic accountability

Former urban development secretary M Ramachandran said elected representatives and municipal officials must be held accountable for the functioning of civic bodies.

"Every corporator or councillor, municipal officer and mayor needs to take responsibility. ," said former urban development secretary M Ramachandran.

The comments come against the backdrop of repeated concerns over basic civic services, including infrastructure maintenance and enforcement of safety standards.

Deregulation needs a balance

Experts and former officials who have worked in the sector said the government's efforts to make construction easier and reduce regulation need to be balanced with effective oversight.

One expert warned that excessive deregulation could weaken the ability of civic authorities to maintain basic standards and respond to problems.

"The distinction between deregulating to increase economic activity and deregulation that leads to collapse of civic order is a fine one and has been lost in the rush to deregulate everything. Officers are unable to draw the line and have stopped attending to routine work under the guise of deregulation. An important side-effect has been de-skilling as they are no longer able to decide and act," an expert said.

Urban safety remains a concern

The deaths recorded in the government data underline the consequences of gaps in civic management. Building collapses, fires and open pits or manholes are not isolated safety issues when they occur repeatedly across urban areas.

With several categories of deaths not included in the available figures, the data provides only a partial picture of the human cost of weak infrastructure and civic enforcement.

The concerns also extend beyond individual accidents. For municipal authorities, the challenge is to maintain public infrastructure, enforce safety rules and ensure that deregulation does not come at the cost of basic civic order.