Satya Niketan tragedy: Delhi HC seeks replies on hostel facilities in DU colleges

The Delhi High Court has sought responses from the Centre, Delhi government and Delhi University on a plea seeking hostel facilities in all DU colleges. The plea highlights an acute shortage of affordable accommodation and follows the Satya Niketan building collapse

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought responses from the Centre, Delhi government and Delhi University on a plea by NSUI president Vinod Jakhar seeking hostel facilities in all Delhi University colleges.

The public interest litigation (PIL) raised the issue of an “acute and long-standing shortage of affordable and adequate institutional hostel accommodation” for students studying at Delhi University.

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The plea filed by Jakhar comes in the wake of the collapse of a building in Satya Niketan that was being used as private paying-guest accommodation by students. The incident on September 6 resulted in the deaths of seven people and left several others injured.

A bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia issued notices to the Central government, Delhi government and Delhi University and asked them to file their replies to the petition.

The court listed the petition for September 25 and tagged it with another similar matter relating to the building collapse.

Observing that a PIL is a very serious matter, the court questioned the petitioner on arraying the University Grants Commission as a party without any reason and asked him to delete it from the petition.

The plea said that despite the passage of more than 104 years since the establishment of the university, and notwithstanding the enormous increase in its student strength and geographical expansion, residential infrastructure has not developed proportionately.

A large number of colleges do not have any hostel facilities, while in colleges where hostels are available, the number of seats is grossly inadequate compared with the actual requirement, it said.

The plea said the result of this institutional deficit is that thousands of students, particularly those coming from other States and Union Territories, are effectively compelled to arrange accommodation in private PG facilities, private hostels, rented rooms and shared flats around their respective colleges.

“The issue is not confined to North Campus, South Campus or any particular college or locality. Colleges of the University of Delhi are situated throughout the NCT of Delhi and the shortage of safe and affordable institutional accommodation is consequently a university-wide problem requiring a university-wide policy response. The shortage of hostel accommodation also imposes a substantial financial burden upon students and their families,” the petition said.

It said the Satya Niketan tragedy cannot be viewed merely as an incident concerning one building, one locality or South Campus. It raises a wider question concerning the safety and welfare of thousands of students residing in privately operated accommodations surrounding DU colleges throughout the city.

The petition sought directions to the authorities to undertake a college-wise assessment of existing hostel capacity and residential requirements, and formulate a phased and time-bound University of Delhi Hostel Development Policy or master plan.

The plea said that where sufficient land is available with individual colleges, the authorities may consider constructing and expanding hostels. In cases where colleges face genuine land constraints, common hostels on suitable government or university land may be considered.

It said that since construction of permanent hostel infrastructure would require time, authorities should, as an interim safety measure, undertake structural and fire-safety audits of private PGs and student hostels operating around DU and formulate an appropriate registration or periodic inspection mechanism.

The High Court had on September 7 ordered a high-level MCD inquiry into the Satya Niketan building collapse that left seven people dead and made it clear that the government could not evade responsibility.

It had said the incident was not only unfortunate but had also evoked deep concern about inadequate housing facilities, including hostels run by Delhi University or the government, the safety and security of students, and the inadequate measures employed by the MCD and other authorities to regulate such PG facilities.