Delhi student groups demand safe, affordable PGs after Satya Niketan collapse
New Delhi, September 17: Organisations representing students, teachers, workers and women on Thursday demanded stronger regulation and greater availability of safe, affordable student accommodation in Delhi, saying the deaths in the Satya Niketan building collapse highlighted wider concerns surrounding the city's private paying guest housing market.
The Students' Federation of India (SFI), Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), Delhi Teachers' Forum (DTF), All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) and Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) issued a joint statement following the collapse of a five-storey PG building in Satya Niketan that killed seven people, including students.
The groups said the incident should not be treated as an isolated accident and attributed the broader housing crisis to inadequate university hostel capacity, limited regulation of private PGs and gaps in government oversight and enforcement.
They cited a survey of 117 students living in PGs in Satya Niketan. According to the organisations, the respondents came from at least 15 states and Union territories, with most studying at Delhi University’s South Campus and nearby institutions.
The survey found monthly PG rents ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 30,000, with a double-sharing room including food costing about Rs 14,000 on average. Security deposits ranged from one to three months' rent and reached around Rs 50,000 in some cases. The groups said 31 per cent of respondents had used brokers and paid commissions.
Students also reported cracks in buildings, faulty cooling systems, delayed repairs and problems with water and electricity. The organisations said 66 per cent preferred university or college hostels, while 79 per cent said they were afraid to continue living in Satya Niketan following the collapse.
The groups demanded mandatory registration and licensing of PGs, regular safety inspections, publicly accessible safety information and enforceable standards for structural and fire safety, sanitation, utilities, occupancy, rents and deposits.
They also sought Rs 1 crore compensation for each family of those killed and Rs 2-5 lakh for the injured, along with more affordable public hostels and increased higher-education funding.
The organisations proposed a Delhi Student Accommodation Monitoring and Regulatory Authority to oversee registration, inspections, grievances and public reporting, with representation from government agencies, universities, experts and student and worker groups.
with inputs from PTI
