New Delhi: A five-storey paying guest accommodation in Delhi’s Satya Niketan collapsed on Sunday while repair work was reportedly underway in its basement,
raising fresh questions about the condition of buildings being used as student housing in the area.
Delhi Police said the building was around 40 to 50 years old. The structure had a basement and five upper floors and was being used as a boys’ PG. At least two people were killed while several others were feared trapped. Seven people had been rescued and taken to hospitals, according to the information available during the rescue operation.
“Search and rescue operations are continuing,” Delhi Police said, citing information gathered through a local enquiry.
Students describe crowded PGs
The collapse has also put the spotlight on student accommodation in Satya Niketan, a locality close to Delhi University’s South Campus. Many residential properties in the area have been converted into hostels and paying guest facilities to meet demand from students.
Students living in the locality told India Today that some PGs accommodate large numbers of people in relatively small spaces. One floor can have four rooms with around 10 beds, according to accounts shared by students.
The collapsed building, identified as “Hostel Daze”, reportedly had around 10 rooms, with a medical shop on the ground floor. Residents said construction work was taking place in the basement before the structure came down.
Residents recall moments before collapse
People living nearby described hearing a loud crash and what some said felt like a sudden tremor. Residents rushed towards the site as the building turned into a pile of rubble.
One resident told PTI that around 35 to 40 students were staying on the upper floors and some may have been sleeping when the collapse happened. Another resident said his nephew had passed the building on a motorcycle only moments earlier.
The exact number of people trapped has not been officially confirmed. Witnesses estimated that 40 to 50 people could have been inside, while police said calls were being received from people believed to be trapped.
Multi-agency rescue operation
Teams from the NDRF, Delhi Disaster Management Authority, Delhi Fire Services, Delhi Police, MCD, CATS and Civil Defence have been involved in the rescue operation.
At least 12 fire tenders have been deployed while oxygen cylinders were taken to the site in case rescuers reach people trapped beneath the debris. Police and paramilitary personnel are also controlling crowds around the narrow lanes.
Delhi Police has filed an FIR against the building’s owner, Anand Bansal, a Gurugram resident. Residents have meanwhile called for structural checks of buildings in Satya Niketan, particularly properties that have been converted into multi-storey PGs. The search operation remains underway as rescuers continue looking for anyone still trapped under the rubble.
