Delhi PG collapse: CM Rekha Gupta orders bulldozer action, inspections across city

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has ordered the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to step up action against illegal construction across the capital following the collapse of a paying guest (PG) building in Satya Niketan that left seven people dead.

The Chief Minister has directed the civic body to carry out demolition drives in several areas and asked senior MCD officials to remain on the ground while the action is carried out. She has also ordered intensive inspections of PG accommodations across Delhi, with officials instructed to identify unauthorised construction and examine building records.

PGs to face intensive inspections

The inspections will focus on whether PG properties have complied with construction and safety requirements. Officials have also been asked to determine when unauthorised construction was carried out and which authority had jurisdiction over the property.

“Building records should be thoroughly examined to determine exactly in which year the illegal construction took place and under whose jurisdiction,” Gupta was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

The move comes days after the September 6 collapse of a five-storey boys' PG in Satya Niketan. Seven people were killed in the incident, which has brought renewed scrutiny on building safety and oversight of student accommodation in Delhi.

The MCD has also begun controlled demolition of an adjoining building that was declared unsafe after the collapse.

Questions over regulation of PG accommodation

The incident has also highlighted concerns around the regulatory framework for PGs in the capital. Under the existing system, PG accommodation does not have a dedicated licensing mechanism, allowing some properties that began as residential premises to operate as commercial accommodation.

A senior MCD official had earlier said, “There are no licences issued for PG accommodation units as it is not a regulated activity.”

The Delhi government is now working on a proposed Paying Guest Accommodation Regulation and Safety Bill, 2026, which is expected to introduce mandatory licences, structural and fire-safety checks and a central portal for registered PGs.

Government plans wider safety checks

The government had already announced structural audits and safety inspections of PGs in major student hubs, including Mukherjee Nagar, Rajendra Nagar, Laxmi Nagar, Satya Niketan and Saket, following the collapse.

The latest crackdown is aimed at identifying unauthorised and potentially unsafe structures before they pose further risks to residents.