Hostel collapse near Delhi University’s south campus leaves one dead, dozens trapped

New Delhi: A 50-year-old five-storey building housing a boys’ hostel collapsed in a congested bylane in Satya Niketan near Delhi University’s south campus on Sunday afternoon, leaving one dead and many people trapped, officials said.

Six people have been pulled out of the debris so far, of whom one was brought dead to the hospital and five others rescued alive, police said. Locals claimed that around 40 to 50 people were still trapped under the debris of the building, which comprised a basement and five upper floors.

Repair work was underway in the basement of the structure, which was used as a paying guest (PG) accommodation, when it collapsed at around 1.30 pm, a senior officer said. Teams of Delhi Police, NDRF, Delhi Fire Service and DDMA, along with fire tenders and CATS ambulances, reached the spot and commenced rescue operations.

The area is marked by narrow, congested bylanes lined with eateries and PG accommodations catering mainly to students. The densely packed buildings and heavy student presence often leave little room for movement, with locals saying most of the students staying in the locality were from Keralam, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh and study at colleges located across the road.

As rescue teams worked through the debris, locals and eyewitnesses also joined the frantic efforts, using their bare hands and whatever tools were available to search for those buried underneath.

A video circulating on social media showed an unconscious youth trapped beneath a slab, with half his face and one hand visible, as locals desperately tried to pull him out.

“A total of six people have been rescued and shifted to hospitals. Of them, two remain critical, and one was brought dead. A rescuer who was brought in has been discharged,” a source at AIIMS said.

The Joint Commissioner of Police, New Delhi Range, DCP Southwest and Additional DCP are supervising the operation, an officer said, adding that the building was known as ‘Hostel Daze’ and its owner is based in Gurugram.

“The exact number of persons trapped/injured is still not known at present. Further details will be shared as and when confirmed,” a statement issued by Delhi Police said.

Local residents said the hostel was always full and that 40 to 50 people could still be trapped under the rubble.

“The lanes are very congested, and it is difficult for rescue vehicles to reach here faster,” a local resident said.

Rajen Chhetri, a local who works with the Delhi Police, said the building housed around 15 rooms, with two to three students sharing each room.

“Most of the students staying here are from Keralam, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh and study mainly at Motilal Nehru College, Atma Ram Sanatan Dharm College and Sri Venkateswara College. They were paying around Rs 12,000 per bed,” Chhetri said.

“I have been living here for the last 20 years. Some construction work was going on in the basement, where water had started accumulating. The foundation was also extremely weak,” he said.

An eyewitness said the tragedy could have been much worse had it occurred on a working day, as many students had returned home for the weekend.

“Very few were here,” he said.

Delhi has witnessed incessant rains since Friday.

The local residents also raised concerns over the condition and maintenance of buildings in the densely populated area, where several houses have been converted into PG accommodations.

Priyanka, a local who has lived in the area for the last 20-22 years, said, “Buildings here are being constructed up to five-six floors. Many houses have been converted into boys’ PGs, with the owners shifting elsewhere. They simply name the properties as PGs, take the rent online and leave the area without even checking back.”

“The PG that collapsed is over 20 years old, and in all these years, I have not seen any maintenance work being carried out. Since it was raining, most of the students were in their rooms, while some had gone home as it was the weekend,” Priyanka said.

BJP MLA Anil Sharma, who reached the spot, said people were still trapped inside the building. “We are even getting calls from those who are trapped inside. Teams are continuously in touch with those who are trapped,” he said.

Police have advised locals and onlookers to stay away from the site, saying the presence of bystanders was hampering rescue efforts. Police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed to ensure the movement of ambulances remains unobstructed.