What is the story about?
The deadly collapse of a five-storey paying guest accommodation in Delhi’s Satya Niketan, which claimed six lives on Sunday, has once again put the spotlight
on the safety of buildings used by students, workers and other residents in the capital. The latest tragedy is not an isolated incident. Over the past five years, Delhi has witnessed several major building collapses and building-related disasters in which questions have been raised over construction practices, structural safety, waterlogging and civic enforcement. Here are five incidents that underline the recurring concerns.
2026: Satya Niketan PG Collapse - 6 Dead
On Sunday, September 6, a five-storey building being used as a boys’ PG accommodation in Satya Niketan collapsed while repair and renovation work was reportedly underway. Six people were killed and five injured.
The building, located near Delhi University's South Campus, housed students and was reportedly around four decades old.
Investigators are examining whether work in the basement, water accumulation and possible structural alterations contributed to the collapse. Officials have also flagged the absence of a sanctioned building plan and fire NOC.
Action Taken:
Police have registered an FIR against the owner under provisions relating to culpable homicide not amounting to murder, negligent conduct during construction or repair and acts endangering life. A magisterial inquiry has also been ordered.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has ordered action against unsafe buildings, including a crackdown on illegal structures, while nearby PGs are being inspected.
2026: Rohini Building Collapse - 3 Dead
Just two months earlier, in July, another major building collapse had struck Delhi. Two under-construction four-storey buildings collapsed in Rohini's Sector 16 amid heavy rain, killing three people.
The victims included 42-year-old Ram Kishore, 24-year-old labourer Kafe alias Nurul and 62-year-old Ram Dua, the father of one of the building owners. Five people were rescued during an overnight operation.
Action Taken:
Police registered a case under provisions including culpable homicide not amounting to murder and negligent conduct. A preliminary MCD assessment said plumbing work was underway and suggested that drilling or cutting structural members such as beams or columns may have contributed to the collapse. The exact cause was left to a detailed technical examination.
2025: Daryaganj Collapse - 3 Workers Killed
On August 20, 2025, three migrant workers from Bihar were killed after a portion of a building near Sadbhavna Park in Daryaganj collapsed. The victims - Mohammad Zubair, 24, his uncle Mohammad Taufiq, 32, and Gulsagar, 30 - were among around 15 workers at the site.
Police said the building was being demolished or reconstructed when the portion collapsed.
Action Taken:
A case was registered against the building owner and contractor. The incident also drew the attention of the National Human Rights Commission, which took suo motu cognisance and sought a report from the Delhi government, MCD and police.
2024: Rau's IAS Tragedy - 3 Aspirants Died
The July 27, 2024 disaster at Rau's IAS Study Circle in Old Rajinder Nagar was not a structural collapse, but became one of Delhi's biggest student-safety tragedies. Three UPSC aspirants - Shreya Yadav, Tanya Soni and Nivin Dalwin - drowned after rainwater flooded the coaching centre's basement library.
The subsequent CBI probe raised serious questions over regulatory failures.
Action Taken:
A supplementary chargesheet alleged that MCD and Delhi Fire Service officials had inspected the premises multiple times but failed to flag the unauthorised use of the basement as a coaching facility.
In March 2026, a Delhi court directed the CBI to resume investigation into the case after the agency had earlier said no further probe was required.
2022: Satya Niketan Collapse - 2 Workers Killed
Satya Niketan had already witnessed a fatal building collapse four years before Sunday's disaster.
In April 2022, the terrace of a three-storey house undergoing renovation collapsed, trapping six workers. Two workers, Bilal and Naseem, died, while four others were injured.
Action Taken:
Importantly, the civic authorities had already issued a notice over alleged unauthorised construction at the property. The notice cited the erection of new columns and changes to internal walls and warned that construction should be stopped. The SDMC had also sought police intervention to halt the work.
Residents now say the latest Satya Niketan collapse was the fourth such incident in the locality in roughly 15 years, with the previous major collapse being the 2022 tragedy.
Taken together, the five incidents raise a common question: how many warnings does Delhi need before structural safety, unauthorised construction and student accommodation become a sustained enforcement priority rather than a post-disaster crackdown?
(With inputs from agencies)
