After Satya Niketan collapse, Delhi turns to PG safety

New Delhi: The Satya Niketan building collapse has widened into a city-wide scrutiny of Delhi's unsafe paying guest (PG) accommodations, with the government now turning its focus from rescue operations to structural safety, illegal construction and the acute shortage of student housing as well. Five senior MCD officials were suspended on Monday, while Lieutenant Governor Sardar Taranjit Singh Sandhu directed structural audits of buildings in PG hubs within a week. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, who visited the site again on Monday, ordered a magisterial inquiry and said no negligence compromising public safety would be tolerated. 'Any situation related to buildings or construction work that could compromise people's safety would not be overlooked,' she said, adding that action would be taken against any other officials found responsible. Gupta said preliminary information indicated that pillars of the old building had weakened and collapsed after water accumulated in the basement. She said 'around 80 per cent of the debris had been cleared, with only basement rubble remaining, and that water accumulation combined with repair work on the old structure had led to the collapse. Twelve people had been recovered, she said, with seven dead and six stable.' At a meeting chaired by the L-G, Gupta and Urban Development Minister Ashish Sood, it was decided that buildings in PG hubs would undergo structural audits, particularly premises that prima facie violate height and floor restrictions. Sandhu, however, cautioned against indiscriminate sealing, saying it could leave students homeless. Sood will lead a committee to review institutional PG guidelines, explore alternative accommodation through universities, MCD and DDA, and assess the feasibility of using vacant or underutilised DDA and MCD buildings and DDA housing stock for students. A committee of the DM, DCP and MCD Deputy Commissioner will proactively reach out to PG students, hear their grievances and prepare a comprehensive database. The committee will also work on a mid- and long-term plan to bridge Delhi's shortage of student accommodation. Gupta said a new policy would mandate periodic structural audits and safety certification for PGs, nursing homes, schools and other buildings used for public activities. No public activity would be permitted without safety certification. The CM also asked MPs, MLAs and councillors to identify and report ongoing illegal construction, promising demolition and monitoring by the CMO and concerned departments. Iron jacks have been installed to support buildings near the collapse site.