LUCKNOW A 36-year-old construction worker died while another sustained injuries after a portion of soil caved in during basement excavation at an under-construction hospital building in Vibhuti Khand on Thursday morning, said officials.
The incident occurred around 10am near the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) building on IGP road under the Vibhuti Khand police station area, according to a police statement.
On receiving information, police, along with fire service and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams, rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation. Two workers trapped under the debris were pulled out and rushed to Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, where one of them, Laxmi Shankar Awasthi of Barabanki district, died during treatment, police said.
According to Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) officials, the structure, Arogyam Medicare, a hospital-cum-commercial centre project is allegedly being undertaken jointly by Dr Yadvendra Nath Chaubey and Dr Pallavi Chaubey. The map was approved by the authority. While casting work has been completed, no slab has been laid yet.
“On receiving the alert, teams from Vibhuti Khand police station, fire services and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) rushed to the site and launched a rescue operation. Both workers were pulled out after a coordinated effort and immediately shifted to RMLIMS,” said additional DCP (east) Amol Murkut.
“At the hospital, doctors declared one of the workers, Laxmi Shankar Awasthi, 36, dead during treatment. The second worker, Tulsi Ram (around 40), also a resident of Barabanki, suffered minor injuries. He was administered first aid and later discharged,” said Amar Singh, SHO, Vibhuti Khand.
Lucknow chief fire officer Ankush Mittal said the labourers were buried after the soil surrounding the excavation site suddenly gave way. Rescue teams worked with caution to prevent further collapse while clearing the debris.
“Police have informed the deceased’s family and initiated legal proceedings. The body has been sent for post-mortem examination and further investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the cave-in and whether safety protocols were followed at the construction site,” read a police statement.
LDA officials said Arogyam Medicare partners Yaghunendra Nath Chaubey and Pallavi Chaubey, received map approval on December 15, 2025, with validity until December 14, 2030. “The map was duly passed; however, it is assumed that construction activities were taking place in the setback area. LDA zone 1 zonal officer Devansh Trivedi visited the site in the morning,” said a senior LDA official.
