NEW DELHI: Lieutenant-Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu has approved formation of a high-powered committee to assess the demand-supply gap in residential facilities for students and ensure land availability.
The 18 member inter-agency committee comprises Chief Secretary, Commissioner of Police, Commissioner MCD, Chairman NDMC, Vice Chairman DDA and vice chancellors of DU, GGSIPU, Ambedkar University and NSUT, apart from other senior officials. Secretary (Education) will be member secretary of the committee.
The committee will provide policy direction, ensure inter-departmental coordination and monitor implementation of measures relating to student accommodation and safety.
The panel gives effect to the directions issued by the L-G at his previous meeting where he had directed the urban development minister to lead a panel with senior officials.
The committee will encourage universities and institutions to develop safe hostel facilities for their students, suggest measures to develop a centralised database of student accommodation facilities in Delhi, suggest establishing a mechanism through which students can report unsafe accommodation, with time-bound action.
To this effect suggest development of a centralised digital monitoring/dashboard, prescribe standard emergency evacuation and disaster-response protocols for student accommodation devise mechanism to ensure periodic fire/disaster mock drills.
Gap assessment
The committee will assess the existing gap between student demand and available hostels, explore accommodation through universities, MCD, DDA and other government agencies, examine feasibility of using vacant government properties for hostels/PGs.
Move after minister asked to lead panel
The L-G had directed the Minister (UD) to lead a committee with concerned senior officials to review institutional PG guidelines, explore alternative student stays through universities, MCD & DDA and assess the feasibility of using unutilised and vacant buildings of DDA and MCD, as also DDA housing stock for student accommodation.