New Delhi: The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has initiated inspections and removal of unsafe buildings in the Satya Niketan area. This action follows a tragic incident on Sunday, September 6, when a building used as a paying guest (PG) accommodation collapsed, resulting in the deaths of seven individuals. Rescue teams managed to pull 12 people from the rubble, with seven confirmed dead and five others sustaining injuries.
The Delhi Fire Service is also taking out the belongings of students from the building in a safe and organised manner. Students and local residents have been asked to cooperate with the officials carrying out the operation. The Delhi High Court has directed authorities to inspect PG hostels within a week and prepare detailed records. The exercise covers building approvals, violations of rules, fire safety arrangements and the number of students living in each property. Students living at the property described the PG as safe, while the Satya Niketan collapse has left them worried about building safety.
The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said on Tuesday (September 8) that the MCD had been ordered to demolish the dilapidated building near the accident site in the interest of public safety. A DTU student said he pays Rs 10,000 for a non-AC room, excluding food. Another student, who too pays Rs 10,000, said the Satya Niketan incident has made him worried.
“On Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s directions, the MCD has been ordered to demolish the dilapidated building near the accident site in the interest of public safety,” the CMO said in a post on X. The building has stairs that can be used to leave during an emergency and other arrangements appear to be safe, according to him. He said the government should act before such incidents happen. He described his own PG as safe and said the owner cooperates with students.
