Building collapse: Teacher and student outfits call for audit of student housing across Delhi
New Delhi, Sep 6 (PTI) Student and teachers' organisations on Sunday demanded a thorough investigation after a paying guest accommodation in Delhi's Satya Niketan collapsed and called for a comprehensive audit of student housing across the city.
The National Democratic Teachers' Front (NDTF), ABVP, NSUI and Students' Federation of India (SFI) called for swift rescue operations and action against people responsible for alleged safety violations and lapses.
The NDTF said several people were trapped under the debris, one person was reported dead and others sustained serious injuries in the building collapse.
Around 30-50 students could be trapped under the debris of the five-storey building on Sunday afternoon.
The teachers' body said the incident raised serious concerns over compliance with structural and fire safety norms at privately-run hostels and paying guest accommodations located around Delhi University's campuses and colleges.
It also pointed to the narrow lanes in several student residential areas, saying they could hamper rescue operations during emergencies.
The NDTF demanded a time-bound inquiry into the incident and a comprehensive inspection of privately-run hostels and PG accommodations around Delhi University and its colleges.
The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) said its volunteers were on the ground assisting with rescue operations and appealed to the Delhi administration, police, fire department and disaster management teams to accelerate relief efforts.
The RSS-affiliated student organisation demanded the deployment of adequate rescue personnel, ambulances, emergency medical assistance and specialised equipment at the site.
It also launched emergency helpline numbers for students and families affected by the incident.
ABVP national general secretary Virendra Singh Solanki said the incident raised serious questions about the functioning of the administration and demanded a high-level probe into the collapse.
"A high-level probe must be initiated to ensure strict action against errant PG operators as well as the officials who permitted such unorganised PGs to run," he said.
The ABVP also demanded an immediate structural and safety audit of PGs and rented accommodations across student-dense areas of Delhi, starting with Satya Niketan, and the creation of a permanent mechanism for regular safety inspections.
The National Students' Union of India (NSUI) alleged negligence in ensuring the safety of students and demanded that the Delhi University administration and the government carry out rescue operations on a war footing.
In a post on X, the Congress-affiliated student organisation demanded a fair investigation and accountability for those responsible.
The SFI Delhi State Committee said the incident highlighted the larger problem of illegal constructions and unsafe living conditions in student areas.
It said students coming to Delhi from different parts of the country were often forced to live in cramped and overcrowded flats and PG accommodations due to the absence of formal mechanisms to assist them in finding housing.
The Left-affiliated student organisation also flagged issues such as inadequate ventilation, poor sanitation, insecure tenancies, lack of formal rent agreements and arbitrary rent hikes in student residential areas.
SFI demanded immediate government intervention to regulate private PG accommodations and ensure safe housing for students, while calling for swift rescue operations for those feared trapped under the debris.
The statements came as rescue operations were underway at the site following the collapse.
