Rekha Gupta orders structural audits of PGs after Satya Niketan collapse kills seven

The Delhi government on Monday announced mandatory structural audits and periodic safety certification for paying guest accommodations and other public-use buildings after the collapse of a five-storey PG in Satya Niketan left seven people dead. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said buildings operating as PGs, schools, nursing homes and other establishments used by the public would have to obtain structural safety clearance, and those failing to meet prescribed standards would not be permitted to continue operations. The move came as rescue operations at the Satya Niketan site concluded on Monday evening, more than a day after the building housing a boys’ PG came crashing down. Twelve people were admitted to hospitals following the collapse, of whom seven died and five were undergoing treatment.

Five officials suspended

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi suspended five senior and junior officials of its South Zone with immediate effect over alleged lapses connected to the collapse. Those suspended include Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Kumar, Superintending Engineer Ranveer Singh, Executive Engineer Lalit Kumar, Assistant Engineer Sunil Chauhan and Junior Engineer Ashish Kumar. The government has also ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident, while the MCD has begun inspecting nearby PGs and buildings. Unauthorised fifth floors are to be sealed immediately as part of a wider crackdown on illegal construction. An adjoining building housing a women’s PG was evacuated and sealed after the tragedy.

Police arrested the building owner, Hariram Bansal, after he was traced to Bhiwadi, while his wife Urmila and son Mahesh were also arrested. Police are investigating the circumstances in which repair and construction work was allegedly being carried out in the basement before the structure collapsed on Sunday afternoon. Preliminary accounts have pointed to work in the basement and water accumulation as possible factors, though authorities are yet to announce the definitive cause. The tragedy has renewed scrutiny of densely packed student accommodation in Satya Niketan, where numerous residential buildings have been converted into PGs to cater to students of Delhi University’s South Campus colleges.

High Court seeks accountability

The Delhi High Court, meanwhile, directed the MCD to conduct an inquiry at its highest executive level into whether the collapsed structures had been constructed with valid permissions. The court said responsibility must be fixed on officials if the buildings were found to have come up without the requisite approvals and sought details of action taken against those responsible. It also directed the civic body to audit PG accommodations and hostels in the area to establish whether they comply with building bylaws and possess the necessary permissions.

The collapse has also intensified demands for safer and more affordable student housing in the Capital. Students living in neighbouring PGs began moving out following the incident, with some temporarily accommodated at Sri Venkateswara College. The disaster also triggered protests at the MCD headquarters, where students accused civic authorities of failing to enforce safety regulations in PG-dominated neighbourhoods. The government has said the proposed structural-audit regime will seek to prevent unsafe buildings from being used as high-occupancy accommodation and ensure periodic checks rather than action only after accidents.