The Delhi University on Sunday expressed concern over the deaths in the collapse of a paying guest accommodation in Satya Niketan, as student and teachers’ organisations called for a comprehensive safety audit of private hostels and PG facilities across the city.
“We are deeply pained and saddened by the building collapse in Delhi's Satya Niketan. Our thoughts are with the students and families affected. We pray for the safe rescue of all those trapped and stand ready to support our students in every possible way,” the varsity said in a post on X.
The incident has triggered questions over safety standards in private accommodations used by students, with the National Democratic Teachers’ Front (NDTF), Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) and Students’ Federation of India (SFI) demanding accountability and stricter enforcement of safety norms.
The NDTF said the collapse raised serious concerns over structural compliance and fire safety in private hostels and PG accommodations around the two DU campuses and colleges located elsewhere in the city.
It also pointed to narrow lanes in several student residential areas, saying these could obstruct rescue operations during emergencies. The teachers’ body called for a time-bound inquiry into private hostels and PG facilities in areas around DU.
The ABVP staged a protest outside the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) building, alleging negligence by civic authorities and demanding a city-wide safety audit of student accommodations. The RSS-backed organisation said its activists entered the MCD complex and staged a sit-in.
ABVP national general secretary Virendra Singh Solanki said the collapse raised “severe questions” about the functioning of city authorities.
“A high-level probe must be initiated to ensure strict action against errant PG operators as well as the officials who permitted such unorganised PGs to run,” he said.
The NSUI also alleged negligence and called on the DU administration and the government to step up rescue efforts.
Meanwhile, the SFI’s Delhi committee said the incident underscored the wider problem of illegal construction and unsafe housing in student neighbourhoods.
The Left-affiliated organisation said students arriving in Delhi from across the country were often compelled to live in cramped flats and PG accommodations because of the lack of formal mechanisms to help them access safe and affordable housing.
It also flagged inadequate ventilation, poor sanitation, insecure tenancies, the absence of formal rent agreements and arbitrary rent hikes as persistent concerns in student residential areas.
(With inputs from PTI)