NEW DELHI: The MCD is set to start the demolition of an ‘unsafe’ building beside the collapsed structure in Satya Niketan. Officials said that they will begin the demolition drive only after the belongings of the students living inside the premises are completely cleared.
The adjacent building which is set for demolition functions as a PG accommodation for girls. After being declared as ‘unsafe’, the civic body has begun the process of shifting its occupants to another place. The representatives of the civic body are assisting the students in taking their belongings out so that they do not face difficulties during the evacuation drive.
The clearance process is expected to continue till at least Wednesday, as there are still many belongings to be removed from the premises.
For the students living in the densely-populated neighbourhood, the incident has brought back long-standing concerns over cramped accommodations in unsafe buildings, where they spend much of their college lives, and shell out significant sums as rent.
Students in the area said that the government must ensure safe accommodation in the area, and address the issue of high rents that has made residing here increasingly difficult. “Rent is around `12,000-13,000 for a bed and even then the rooms are not always safe,” said Annu Priya, a physics student at Motilal Nehru College.
Students also complained about poor water and insects in some PG facilities. Swati Ray, a Hindi student at Maitreyi College, said students should not be made to choose between education and safety. “Students from other states come here because of the colleges. If they are asked to leave their accommodation, they may not have anywhere else to go,” she said.