Delhi University on Sunday said it was "deeply pained" by the collapse of a paying guest accommodation in Satya Niketan, even as students' and teachers' outfits demanded a safety audit of such housing facilities across the city.
"We are deeply pained and saddened by the building collapse in Delhi's Satya Niketan. Our thoughts are with the students and families affected. We pray for the safe rescue of all those trapped and stand ready to support our students in every possible way," the varsity said on X.
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The National Democratic Teachers' Front (NDTF), Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), National Students' Union of India (NSUI) and Students' Federation of India (SFI) raised concerns over the violations of safety norms that may have led to the building collapse.
The NDTF said the incident raised serious concerns over structural compliance and fire safety norms at private hostels and paying guest accommodations around the two Delhi University campuses and its colleges elsewhere.
{{/usCountry}}The NDTF said the incident raised serious concerns over structural compliance and fire safety norms at private hostels and paying guest accommodations around the two Delhi University campuses and its colleges elsewhere.
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It also flagged narrow lanes in several student residential areas, saying these could hamper rescue operations during emergencies, as it demanded a time-bound inquiry into private hostels and PG accommodations around DU.
The ABVP staged a protest outside the Municipal Corporation of Delhi building over the collapse, alleging negligence by civic authorities and demanding a safety audit of student accommodations across the city.
The RSS-backed outfit said its activists entered the MCD complex and staged a sit-in.
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ABVP national general secretary Virendra Singh Solanki said the incident raised "severe questions" about the functioning of the city authorities.
"A high-level probe must be initiated to ensure strict action against errant PG operators as well as the officials who permitted such unorganised PGs to run," he said.
The Congress-backed National Students' Union of India alleged negligence as the cause behind the collapse and demanded that the Delhi University administration and the government carry out rescue operations on a war footing.
The SFI's Delhi committee said the incident highlighted the larger problem of illegal constructions in student areas.
It said students coming to Delhi from different parts of the country were often forced to live in cramped and crowded flats and PG accommodations due to the absence of formal mechanisms to help them find housing.
The Left-affiliated student organisation also flagged inadequate ventilation, poor sanitation, insecure tenancies, lack of formal rent agreements and arbitrary rent hikes in student residential areas.