At midnight on September 6, a four-storey building in Delhi’s Satya Niketan — a student hub 2km from South Campus and 20km from North Campus — collapsed. Seven dead, including landlord, 12 rescued, five fighting for lives. Lavpreet Kaur reports on rescue and questions of paying guest safety.
The building, known as Hostel Daze, had been altered beyond original structure, with changes to basement and ground floor to accommodate more tenants. MCD says owner had no sanctioned plan nor occupancy certificate, but no enforcement action was taken despite unauthorised construction.
Eyewitnesses like Amit Choudhary, 20, recall dust and screams: “I was blinded for 2-3 minutes.” In a cramped locality, people began pulling people out before NDRF arrived. According to Delhi Fire Service, first call came at 6:52 p.m., rescue of 12 completed by morning.
The economics are stark. A bed in a shared room can cost Rs 12,000-15,000 a month, while annual academic fees range from Rs 40,000 to Rs 90,000. Two beds placed inches apart, food, water may be included, electricity charged separately. Students accept because alternative is to pay more for a farther college commute, as one student said.
Landlords in Satya Niketan cater to students from Motilal Nehru College, Sri Venkateswara, Aryabhatta, Ram Lal Anand — Delhi University colleges where hostel capacity is estimated at only 2.5 lakh beds vs demand far outstripping from outside capital, per university’s 2024-25 annual report.
Bhupender Bhutani, third-year student of Motilal Nehru College, said he had raised concerns about work in basement, where water logging was noticed, cracks packed with damp walls, three or four beds packed into one room.
According to police, Mahesh Gupta, son of property owners, had existing structure demolished and added four floors plus basement in 2010, then three additional floors in 2011, allowing floor area ratio violations. Allowing extra construction without checks loaded structure. Police arrested Sanoj in Kaurganj, UP. FIR under Sections 105, 290, 125 and 125(a).
After collapse, MCD suspended five South Zone officials and began sealing wobbly buildings nearby. Delhi government says it plans to strengthen regulation of PG accommodation.
A relative of victim, Umayana, 19, who lives in a cramped accommodation in Satya Niketan and had been preparing for civil services, saw building collapse minutes after entering. For students like her, question is stark, as Unnayan student says: “A relative of a student from Gorakhpur says she wants us to let our child leave here knowing she is not safe. Even if it means she has to travel four hours for classes, we would rather have her somewhere safe.”