Satya Niketan building collapse: High-level panel to examine students' accommodation, Delhi HC told

A bench was informed by the MCD that after the September 6 collapse incident, the matter was taken up at the highest executive level of the civic body.

The Delhi High Court was informed on Friday that the city government has constituted a high-powered committee to examine issues on students' accommodation and their safety in the national capital and to recommend time-bound measures.

MCD Workers demolish the 'Dangerous' building Adjacent of collapsed PG at Satya Niketan. (Vipin Kumar/HT Photo)

The submission was made during the hearing of a matter relating to the recent building collapse incident in the Satya Niketan area.

A bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia was informed by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) that immediately after the September 6 collapse incident, the matter was taken up at the highest executive level of the civic body.

The court also termed the affidavit filed by Delhi University to be "absolutely vague" and was assured by the varsity's counsel that a better response would be filed.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Delhi government, MCD and the Delhi Police, said five officers across the entire supervisory chain of the municipal corporation, including a deputy commissioner, were placed under suspension and also gave details of other steps and actions taken by the authorities.

The MCD, in its affidavit, said the Delhi government has constituted a magisterial inquiry into the incident to examine issues, including the validity of permissions, compliance with building bye-laws and the role of the concerned officials.

It said no sanctioned building plan was approved for the property in question and it was not constructed pursuant to valid MCD permission.

The MCD said a time-bound survey or inspection exercise of paying guest (PG) buildings identified across all 12 zones falling within its jurisdiction was undertaken and out of 2,453 PG buildings, 2,342 were visibly safe, 91 need minor repairs, 30 need major repairs and four were in dangerous condition.

"In addition to that, eight load-bearing structures above ground-plus three storeys and 77 framed structures above ground-plus four storeys are being separately identified for close monitoring as the same may be vulnerable," it said.

Cases involving any prima facie issue concerning immediate structural safety or danger to life are being given priority for appropriate inspection and strict action in accordance with law, the MCD's affidavit said.

The building at Satya Niketan, which housed a boys' paying-guest accommodation near the Delhi University's South Campus, collapsed on September 6 while repair work was underway. Five students were among seven people who died in the collapse, while several others were injured.

The MCD's affidavit was filed in a pending PIL by law student Aniket Kumar Gupta, seeking urgent medical care and rehabilitation of the affected students, ₹1 crore compensation to the kin of the deceased and preservation of crucial evidence relating to the collapse.

The court permitted retired IPS officer Kiran Bedi to address it in the matter and asked the parties to also supply her the documents which they would place on record.

The court listed the matter for further hearing on October 14 and said that in case the meeting of the Delhi government's High-Powered Committee takes place in the meantime, the minutes drawn shall be placed on record.

The MCD, in its affidavit, said the Delhi government, by a September 10 order, has constituted a High-Powered Committee on student accommodation and safety to examine issues relating to student accommodation and safety in Delhi and to recommend appropriate, time-bound measures.

"In its meeting held on September 15, the committee, among other decisions, resolved to prepare a regulatory framework for paying guest accommodations and private student hostels. It was decided that the Department of Training and Technical Education (DTTE) and the Department of Higher Education (DHE) shall jointly prepare a regulatory framework for PG accommodation and private student hostels," it said.

It added that the regulatory framework is to be developed in consultation with the stakeholder agency or department and should also take into account the experience of other states and Union Territories in regulating PG accommodations.

The Delhi Police, in its reply, has stated that six accused, including the owners of the Satya Niketan building which collapsed, failed to take adequate safety precautions during construction or repair work, creating a situation that endangered human lives and ultimately caused deaths.

It said that the building collapsed due to excessive structural load or weakening of the existing structure which endangered human life and resulted in casualties.

On September 7, the high court ordered a high-level MCD inquiry into the building collapse and made it clear that the government cannot evade responsibility.