The Delhi High Court on Monday directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to conduct a high-level inquiry into the collapse of a paying guest facility at Satya Niketan that killed seven people and left several others injured.
Terming the incident “most unfortunate,” the court said not only the building owners but also the MCD and Delhi University were responsible for the tragedy.
The court also observed that hostel facilities for students coming from outside the city to study are in a pathetic condition. The court asked authorities to double their efforts in the rescue operations so that human lives could be saved.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta assured the High Court that all possible steps were being taken to rescue those trapped.
The Delhi High Court was hearing a PIL on Monday concerning the collapse of the building. The petition was mentioned before a bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia.
The building collapsed at around 1.30 pm on Sunday while repair work was underway, trapping several people under the debris.
Seven people have died so far in the incident, while many others were rescued from the debris. Search and rescue operations entered their second day on Monday, with agencies continuing efforts to ascertain whether anyone else remained trapped.
The structure, known locally as Hostel Daze, was being used as a boys’ PG accommodation and housed students from colleges in the South Campus area.
