New Delhi: What was supposed to be a home for students turned into the site of a tragedy on Sunday when a multi storey PG building in Delhi’s Satya Niketan area suddenly collapsed, killing six people and injuring several others.
The collapse happened at around 1:30 pm on September 6 near Delhi University’s South Campus. Rescue teams rushed to the spot as people were feared trapped under the rubble. Delhi Police, Delhi Fire Services, the NDRF and other emergency agencies worked through the debris, with at least 11 people rescued so far.
The building was being used as a 75 bed paying guest accommodation, where students were among those staying. The incident has now raised serious concerns about the condition of buildings being rented out as PGs in areas where thousands of students live.
What caused the building to come down is still being investigated. According to reports, repair or construction work was being carried out in the basement. Questions have also been raised about water accumulation and the condition of the building’s foundation. Officials are expected to examine whether any construction work weakened the structure.
Police have registered an FIR against the owner and others in connection with the collapse. A search is also underway to trace the property owner. Authorities have not yet established who was responsible for any alleged safety lapses, and the investigation is continuing.
The Delhi government has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident and said that anyone found responsible will face action. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has also acted against a nearby building considered dangerous, ordering its occupants to leave and directing that the structure be demolished.
The collapse has meanwhile triggered protests from student organisations. ABVP workers protested outside the MCD office, demanding accountability and safety checks for student accommodations across Delhi.
For students living in PGs across the capital, the incident has struck a particularly worrying chord. Many depend on privately run accommodations close to their colleges, often without knowing much about a building’s structural condition.
The Satya Niketan collapse has now put a difficult question before Delhi’s civic authorities How many student accommodations are being used without proper safety checks and will action come only after another building falls?
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