One building collapsed, two more hostels of same PG operator show safety lapses

Several apparent safety lapses have come to light in Delhi’s Shanti Niketan area following the collapse of a paying guest facility on Sunday, with two nearby hostels operated by the same company showing concerns including extremely narrow access passages, locked iron gates and hanging electrical wires.Both properties are operated by Hostel Daze, which also runs several other properties in the area. The two hostels are located within a short distance of the collapsed building, where six people were killed, and several others remained trapped under the debris.One of the Hostel Daze properties is located around 70-80 metres from the site of the collapse. Visuals from inside the hostel show what appears to be a single route for both entry and exit.The passage is only about two feet wide, according to the ground report, and the exit is also closed with an iron gate. The narrow access route raises questions about how occupants could evacuate quickly during an emergency, particularly if a large number of people had to leave the building at the same time. The safety concerns extend outside the property. A network of electrical wires can be seen hanging near the hostel, with the ground report describing them as being without proper arrangement.The property’s proximity to the collapsed building adds significance to the concerns, as it is located just 70-80 metres from the site.SECOND FIVE-STOREY HOSTEL RAISES CONCERNS Another Hostel Daze property is located around 100 metres from the collapse site. The building is also a five-storey structure.Here too, concerns have emerged over the electrical infrastructure around the building. Electricity meters have been installed outside the property, while wires near the entry and exit area can be seen hanging without what the ground report describes as proper arrangement.The presence of such wires around access points raises further questions about electrical safety at the property.BUILDINGS EXCEED PERMITTED HEIGHTThe ground report has also highlighted a broader concern over the height of buildings being operated in the locality.According to the report, buildings exceeding three floors are not permitted in the area. Despite this, most buildings being operated there are reportedly four to five storeys high.The report further states that these buildings are being operated as hostels, with students being charged hefty rents to stay there.The two Hostel Daze properties examined in the report are both multi-storey structures, with one specifically identified as a five-storey building.The findings point to several apparent safety concerns in buildings housing students in the locality, including structures reportedly exceeding the permitted height, extremely narrow access passages, single routes for entry and exit, iron gates at exits and hanging electrical wires.The concerns are particularly significant given the proximity of the two Hostel Daze properties to the site of Sunday’s collapse, one around 70-80 metres away and the other around 100 metres away.Meanwhile, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has ordered the immediate sealing of all illegal constructions exceeding four floors following the collapse of a building near Satya Niketan in South-West Delhi.- EndsPublished On: Sep 7, 2026 09:36 IST