The Delhi High Court on Tuesday declined to grant an urgent hearing to a PIL seeking hostel facilities for students in all colleges affiliated with Delhi University, questioning whether such a direction could be issued on an interim basis.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia asked the lawyer why the matter was being mentioned for urgent listing and directed that the petition be filed for auto-listing on Wednesday.
The petition was mentioned for hearing on Tuesday in the wake of the collapse of a paying guest (PG) building in Satya Niketan near Delhi University’s South Campus, which claimed seven lives.
The court said it could not direct all colleges to provide hostel facilities on an interim basis and noted that it had already heard another PIL on the issue on Monday and passed an order.
The lawyer argued that the earlier PIL had sought different reliefs, including compensation for the families of those killed and injured in the collapse. His petition, he said, sought directions to every Delhi University college to provide hostel facilities for students.
“Can we issue such a direction in the interim? File it. It will be taken up tomorrow,” the bench said.
On Monday, the High Court ordered a high-level inquiry by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) into the Satya Niketan building collapse and said the government could not evade responsibility.
Describing the incident as “most unfortunate”, the court said such tragedies were linked to inadequate safety measures by the MCD and other authorities. It also directed officials to intensify rescue efforts to save lives.
The court said the incident had raised serious concerns over inadequate accommodation facilities, including hostels run by Delhi University and the government, as well as student safety and the regulation of PG facilities by civic authorities.
Meanwhile, building owner Hariram Gupta and his wife were produced before a trial court on Monday and remanded to judicial custody. Their son was sent to two days of police custody.
(With inputs from PTI)
