LG orders inspection drives at PG accommodations
Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu on Monday directed authorities to carry out inspection drives in paying guest (PG) accommodation hubs, especially in houses that have prima facie violated height and floor restrictions.
Sandhu also directed the chief secretary to ensure that structural audits of all buildings in PG hubs are carried out within a week, according to a statement issued by the Lok Niwas on Monday.
In the wake of a building collapse in the Satya Niketan area, LG Sandhu along with Chief Minister Rekha Gupta held a high-level review meeting with top Government and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) officials.
“Committees of DM, DCP and DC (MCD) will proactively reach out to students living in PG accommodations and listen to their problems and grievances; comprehensive database of students to be compiled,” the Lok Niwas said.
“Creating panic by mindless sealing drives will only lead to students becoming homeless,” the LG said, adding that “inspection drives should be conducted in premises housing students as PGs and had prima facie violated height and floor restrictions”.
The LG also directed that the DDMA control room with contact numbers must be made operational immediately if any disaster occurs. It should monitor the rescue operation, health-related treatment support in hospitals, authentic media release and coordination with relatives of the victims.
Minister of Urban Development Ashish Sood will head a committee to review institutional PG guidelines and explore alternative student accommodation through universities. “Directed the urban development minister to lead a committee with senior officials concerned to review institutional PG guidelines, explore alternative student accommodation through universities, MCD and DDA,” the LG said in a post on X.
The LG further directed officials to assess the feasibility of using unutilised Delhi Development Authourity (DDA) housing stock for student accommodation.
During the meeting, Sandhu also emphasised strict enforcement against unsafe buildings, clear institutional accountability and an emergency mechanism under the Delhi Disaster Management Authourity (DDMA) for swift grievance redressal and crisis coordination.
Meanwhile, Sood said the government will consider additional relaxation in Floor Area Ratio (FAR) and redevelopment of existing hostels to address the shortage of residential facilities for students.
“There is a gap in residential facilities for the large number of students studying in various colleges in Delhi, including Delhi University colleges and universities run by the Delhi government,” Sood said.
He said additional relaxation in FAR could be considered wherever required to create more accommodation for students. “Existing hostels can also be redeveloped by allowing enhanced FAR under the new provisions,” he said.
The minister also said the government discussed the regulation of paying guest (PG) accommodations and coaching institutes.
He said a committee report was being prepared based on the recommendations of the Justice Gupta Committee, and the regulation of PG accommodations was among the issues discussed at the meeting.
The decades-old building in south Delhi collapsed around 1.30 pm on Sunday while repair work was underway. The death toll in the building rose to seven on Monday as search and rescue operations entered the second day, with 12 people rescued from the debris and the owner of the building, Hariram, arrested by Delhi Police from Bhiwadi in Rajasthan.
