Another Delhi PG develops massive cracks, students flee to college for shelter

Days after the deadly collapse of a paying guest (PG) building in New Delhi’s Satya Niketan, another PG in the Chirag Delhi area has developed a massive crack, with a portion of a wall also coming off, forcing students living there to vacate the building and take shelter at their college.Students of Delhi University’s Shaheed Bhagat Singh College, speaking to India Today TV, alleged that safety norms were not being followed at the PG and said visible cracks, leakage and other structural issues had left them worried about continuing to stay there.With the students suddenly left without accommodation, the college administration stepped in and made temporary arrangements on the campus. The students were shifted to the college premises, including a hall and classrooms, where mattresses and other basic facilities were arranged.‘WE SAW CRACKS, THEN A PART OF THE WALL FELL’The building had six floors, with around 50-60 students living there. Students said cracks had appeared at several places in the building, with those staying in the basement particularly worried about its condition. “We were staying in the basement and the condition there was worse. There were a lot of cracks,” a student told India Today TV.According to the students, the PG management initially tried to reassure them that the problem was not serious and that the cracks had existed for some time. However, after a piece of the wall fell and particularly in the aftermath of the Satya Niketan collapse, the students decided to leave the building. The students said they had paid around Rs 12,000 as a security deposit and Rs 7,500 as monthly rent. Food was arranged separately through a mess at a cost of around Rs 4,000 a month.Another student said leakage was among the problems at the PG and that cracks were clearly visible in the basement rooms.“I had taken the PG about a month ago. There was leakage and the problem of cracks, especially in the basement,” he said.Gaurav Kumar, a senior student, said they initially thought the cracks might be a minor issue. However, the Satya Niketan collapse changed the way students viewed the problem.“The first thought was that it might be a small crack. But after what happened in Satya Niketan, we could not ignore it,” he said.After the students raised their concerns, police reached the premises and helped them vacate the building.DISPLACED STUDENTS MOVED TO COLLEGEWith the students suddenly left without accommodation, the college administration moved to provide them with a temporary place to stay. A convention hall on the campus was cleared on Tuesday evening, with mattresses and other basic facilities arranged for the students.Assistant Professor Ravindra Singh said the college was informed that students were facing problems at the PG and that videos showing the condition of the building had also been shared with the principal.“Some students informed our principal that there were issues with a PG and that there were cracks in the building. They showed us videos and requested that arrangements be made for the students,” Singh said.He said the principal instructed staff to make arrangements for the students and also contacted nearby institutions to assist students from other colleges who had been staying at the same PG.The professor added that the temporary arrangement made by the college and the principal would continue until the students were able to find alternative accommodation.Professor Ram Shiromani Mishra, whom the students approached after noticing the cracks, said the college found that some of them had been covered up.“We saw that the cracks had been filled with wall putty,” he said.STUDENTS RAISE QUESTIONS OVER PG LICENCES, AUDITSThe concerns have extended beyond the particular building in Chirag Delhi, with students alleging that several PGs and flats used as student accommodation operate without adequate safety checks.One student alleged that the PG did not have a licence or a structural audit.“There was no licence and no audit. We asked for the PG licence, but we were told there was no licence,” he alleged.Students also claimed that some buildings have large structural gaps or cracks that are concealed with putty.They alleged that flats were also being converted into PG-style accommodation by adding multiple beds, allowing owners to charge higher amounts from students. According to them, rents can range from Rs 10,000 to Rs 12,000 per bed, with food, electricity and water sometimes charged separately.Another student raised concerns over the absence of fire extinguishers and other basic safety arrangements at some accommodations.The students said the issue was not confined to a single PG and demanded that authorities conduct a comprehensive inspection of student accommodations in areas around Delhi University.They have called for structural audits of all PGs and flats being used as student accommodation, along with licence verification and written fitness certificates.“Our direct demand is that all PGs and flats should be audited. There should be a structural audit and a fitness check. A certificate should clearly state which building is fit and which is unfit,” a student said.They also demanded a system to regulate rents, alleging that ordinary flats are being converted into PGs by installing additional beds and then rented out at substantially higher rates.Students further called for a 24x7 helpline where students from outside Delhi could report accommodation-related problems and seek assistance.STUDENTS SEEK MORE COLLEGE HOSTELSAnother key demand is for greater availability of hostel facilities at the college level. The students said those coming to Delhi from different states often have little choice but to depend on privately operated PGs and rented flats.One student said the government and Delhi University administration should provide more hostel facilities so that students are not entirely dependent on commercial accommodation.He said students come to Delhi carrying the expectations of their families and then face monthly rent, security deposits and brokerage costs in addition to their education expenses.Women students also raised concerns about what they described as local interference around PGs.One student from Betul district in Madhya Pradesh said she had come to Delhi to study and that students, particularly women, could feel vulnerable because of local interference around their accommodation.She reiterated the demand for a pink booth in the area and action to reduce such interference.NEXT CHALLENGE: FINDING SAFE ACCOMMODATIONFor the students who have left the Chirag Delhi PG, the college’s intervention has provided immediate relief but not a permanent solution.Aditya, a Delhi University South Campus student whose PG was sealed by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi amid the ongoing survey, is among those temporarily staying on the Shaheed Bhagat Singh College premises. He said students are now struggling to find suitable accommodation at short notice.The students are also worried about the cost of moving to another PG and whether the next building they choose will actually be safe.The Chirag Delhi episode has therefore turned the immediate fallout of the Satya Niketan collapse into a larger question for students: whether the PGs and rented flats they depend on are structurally safe, properly licenced and subject to regular safety checks.- Ends(Inputs by Ashutosh Kumar)Published On: Sep 10, 2026 07:47 IST