Satya Niketan building collapse: Delhi LG orders structural audit of all PG hubs within week

Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG), Taranjit Singh Sandhu, along with Chief Minister (CM) Rekha Gupta and Urban Development (UD) Minister Ashish Sood, on Monday chaired a meeting to review the action taken after the building collapse in Satya Niketan near the South Campus of Delhi University and discuss further measures for students living in Paying Guest (PG) accommodations in the city. At the outset, the LG pointed out that the problems of students living in PG accommodations were a grave one and required short-term as well as long-term solutions. The LG stressed regulatory checks and enforcement measures against buildings that were running as PG accommodations without ensuring proper structural safety. To this effect, the LG directed the Chief Secretary to ensure that a structural audit of all buildings in PG hubs be carried out within a week. Underlining that creating a panic by mindless sealing drives will only lead to students becoming homeless, the LG said that inspection drives should be conducted in premises housing students as PGs and that had prima facie violated height and floor restrictions. LG directed the Minister of Urban Development (UD) to lead a committee with concerned senior officials to review institutional Paying Guest (PG) guidelines, explore alternative student accommodation through Universities, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and Delhi Development Authority (DDA), and assess the feasibility of using unutilised and vacant buildings of the DDA and MCD, as well as DDA housing stock, for student accommodation. The Chief Minister and UD Minister pointed out that a safety audit of the buildings was of prime concern, and it was agreed that MCD will take stringent actions against ongoing illegal constructions and prevent them. The committee of District Magistrate (DM), Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) and Deputy Commissioner (MCD), constituted in June, proactively reaches out to all students living in PG accommodations and listens to their problems and grievances. It was agreed that a comprehensive database of all students living in PG accommodations be compiled. Underlining the wide gap that existed between the demand and supply of accommodations for students in the Capital, the LG further asked the Committee under the UD Minister to come up with a mid and long-term plan to augment and enhance hostel accommodations at the earliest. Three persons, including the building owner and beneficiaries, have been arrested in connection with the five-storey building collapse in South Campuss Satya Niketan on Sunday, which claimed the lives of seven persons and injured several others. The arrested accused have been identified as property owner Urmila Gupta (75), her husband Hariram Gupta (81), a retired Sergeant from the Indian Air Force, and their son Mahesh Gupta (52). According to the police, while the property is registered in Urmila Guptas name, it was being managed and run by her husband and son. A search has also been launched to nab the PG operators and the labour contractor involved, whose roles will be examined for further legal action. (ANI)