"No constructive agenda regarding students or general public.. RJD MP Sudhakar Singh on LG ordering safety audits of PG hubs following Satya Niketan incident

Speaking to ANI, Singh drew on the 2024 Rajinder Nagar incident, in which three civil services aspirants drowned in the basement library of an IAS coaching centre, alleging that similar assurances regarding the safety of student study spaces were given at that time as well.

What exactly are they going to audit?.. It hasn't been long since students drowned and died in a basement where a coaching centre was operating. At that time, too, there was talk about ensuring the safety of buildings where students study. Where is any work being done for safety? This government is a total failure; they have no constructive agenda regarding students or the general public said Singh.

Singh's remarks came after Lieutenant-Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu, at a review meeting, directed the Chief Secretary to ensure that structural audits of all buildings in PG hubs across Delhi are carried out within a week. During the meeting, the Lieutenant-Governor pointed out that the problems faced by students living in PG accommodations were grave and required both short-term and long-term solutions.

Meanwhile, CPI MP P. Sandosh appreciated Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu's intervention, declaring that the Satya Niketan building collapse incident must serve as an eye-opener for the Delhi administration.

It is a welcome step Not only PG's but many hotels in Delhi are in the same condition. This incident must be an eye-opener to Delhi administration. Things cannot be solved with a superficial inspection It should be continuous work Sandosh told ANI.

Earlier, Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG), Taranjit Singh Sandhu, along with Chief Minister (CM) Rekha Gupta and Urban Development (UD) Minister Ashish Sood, on September 7 chaired a meeting to review the action taken after the building collapse in Satya Niketan near the South Campus of Delhi University and discuss further measures for students living in Paying Guest (PG) accommodations in the city.

Underlining that creating a panic by mindless sealing drives will only lead to students becoming homeless, the LG said that inspection drives should be conducted in premises housing students as PGs and that had prima facie violated height and floor restrictions.

LG directed the Minister of Urban Development (UD) to lead a committee with concerned senior officials to review institutional Paying Guest (PG) guidelines, explore alternative student accommodation through Universities, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and Delhi Development Authority (DDA), and assess the feasibility of using unutilised and vacant buildings of the DDA and MCD, as well as DDA housing stock, for student accommodation.

The Chief Minister and UD Minister pointed out that a safety audit of the buildings was of prime concern, and it was agreed that MCD will take stringent actions against ongoing illegal constructions and prevent them. (ANI)