7 Lakh Enrolled vs 8,000 Hostel Rooms: Why Delhi Students Stay In Death Traps

Audit all paying guest (PG) accommodation and hostels within one week, the Delhi High Court on Monday directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi after a five-storey building crashed down over the weekend in northwest Delhi's Satya Niketan. Seven people were killed in the tragedy.The decades-old building, known as 'Hostel Daze', housed a boys' PG. It collapsed during repair work on Sunday. Satya Niketan, a neighbourhood near the University of Delhi's South Campus, is home to hundreds of university students living in crowded accommodation.The court directed that the inquiry into the collapsed building should specifically examine whether all requisite permissions had been obtained, identify officials responsible for any lapse or failure on the part of the authorities and specify the action proposed or taken against those found responsible.Reporter's Diary: How Unsafe Hostels Are Turning Into Student Death TrapsThe directions came amid concerns over the safety of students residing in private hostels, particularly in areas around Delhi University, where a large number of outstation students depend on such facilities due to limited hostel accommodation.The inspection will examine whether such premises are being operated in accordance with requisite permissions and applicable building bye-laws. The civic body has also been directed to ascertain the number of students residing in each private hostel.Rescue and search operations at Satya Niketan after a five-storey building collapsed near South CampusThe court further sought details regarding the existence of a regulatory framework around such private hostels.Students vs Hostels in DelhiThere are more than 7,00,000 students in Delhi University across regular, professional, and open-learning programs. Around 2.5 lakh students were registered in academic session 2024-25.Delhi University does not publish any official consolidated figure about the number of hostel rooms for students.Reports say the university has a capacity of around 7,000 to 8,000 rooms.Among registered students, only 1 in 31 students get a hostel room.A 2025 report said over 30,000 undergraduate students applied for hostels, but less than 10 per cent secured a seat.The Delhi University has also been asked to provide details of the number of outstation students enrolled with it and the hostel facilities available to accommodate them.Protesters hold placards reading 'Government should pay PG rent until hostels are built' during a demonstration near South CampusThe court orally expressed concern over the inadequate availability of hostel accommodation, observing that many students are consequently compelled to seek accommodation in private PGs.Delhi University Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh has asked college principals to review residential facilities for students and expedite ongoing hostel projects following the tragedy.Video: Moment Delhi Building Came Crashing Down And Turned Into Rubble During the hearing, the court also raised concerns over alleged reckless and unauthorised construction by some operators. It orally observed that buildings permitted for two floors are sometimes extended to several additional floors while the original foundation remains unchanged, creating serious safety risks.The court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) matter relating to the building collapse.It asked the authorities to file their separate replies to the petition within 10 days and listed the matter for further hearing on September 25.Action Taken By Delhi Civic BodyOn Monday, a day after the tragedy, the Delhi civic body suspended five officials with immediate effect.The suspended officials are: Rakesh Kumar, Deputy Commissioner (South Zone), Superintending Engineer Ranvir Singh, Executive Engineer (Building) Lalit Kumar Goel, Assistant Engineer (Building) Sunil Chauhan and Junior Engineer (Building) Ashish Kumar of the South Zone.After the building collapse, locals complained of a persistent waterlogging problem, alleged unchecked construction and "apathy" of building owners and civic agencies in the area.The collapsed structure, built on around 55 square yards, was a Ground+4 building in a resettlement colony where the erstwhile permission was only for a Ground+1 unit and no building plan was approved, according to MCD officials.Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, who arrived in Satya Niketan to oversee the second day of search and rescue operations, has ordered sealing of all buildings in the city which have five floors.Talking to reporters, the Chief Minister said water accumulation in the basement of the Satya Niketan building led to the collapse.Hariram Bansal, owner of the Delhi building, was arrested from Bhiwadi in Rajasthan, following a massive multi-state manhunt with 10 teams.