NEW DELHI: The Delhi government is set to bring a comprehensive policy and a web portal to regulate PG accommodations and coaching institutes within 30-45 days. Education and urban development minister Ashish Sood made the announcement after meeting the students living in PGs to understand their concerns, days after the Satya Niketan incident.
“The urban development department was already working on a PG policy and on implementing the Justice Gauba committee report for coaching institutes. The Satya Niketan incident has forced us to speed up the implementation of the Gauba committee report and frame a policy that addresses the concerns,” Sood stated.
During the interaction, student delegates highlighted critical operational and infrastructure issues like the demand for a dedicated web portal where the PG owners must declare rents, meal plans, provided facilities, and structural safety details beforehand.
The students said that it should also include unenforced agreement complaints that landlords frequently fail to honour; rent agreement deeds; arbitrary power charges levied by property owners; urgent need for pre-monsoon audits; structural safety certifications; and regular inspection mechanisms.
Sood said that since agreements exist between two private individuals, the government is looking into a legal way to make these tenancy deeds a binding. He emphasised upon a two-pronged strategy to deliver a long-term solution.
He also announced a digital portal to create a mandatory registry displaying rents, amenities, and audit compliance for students and approval of higher floor area ratio to allow universities to expand on-campus hostels.
Other measures
The government is also exploring vacant properties, including unused buildings in Narela, to convert them into hostels supported by direct bus services and Centre’s assistance.
