Satya Niketan Building Collapse: PG Agreement comes under scanner after seven die

 

The tenancy agreement signed by the residents of the PG building that collapsed this Sunday on which 7 people were killed has come under scanner as several clauses were found to absolve the hostel from any liabilities related to injuries, casualties and damages to property.

 

The agreement reportedly stated that the PG authorities will not be responsible for personal injuries, loss or damage due to situations like sealing, fire, earthquake, heavy rain etc., which may be termed as beyond control of the hostel. It also included a clause that the PG authorities will not be held responsible for casualties involving the tenants.

 

The clauses drew attention as concerns are raised over the safety and regulation of paying guest accommodations being run from residential buildings in Delhi. The tragedy has also led to the Delhi High Court looking into the role of civic authorities in ensuring that such buildings adhere to construction and safety guidelines.

 

On Monday, a bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia ordered that a high level inquiry be initiated by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, into the collapse, considering it 'most unfortunate'. The court said that the civic body cannot evade its responsibility.

 

The bench observed that the responsibility of the incident cannot solely lie with the PG owner. It said that the MCD is also responsible for ensuring that construction and other works across the city adhere to the building bylaws and other statutory requirements.

 

The observations followed the court issuing notices to the Centre, Delhi government, MCD, Delhi Police and the National Human Rights Commission on a PIL filed by law student Aniket Kumar Gupta, who has sought immediate medical treatment and rehabilitation for the affected students, Rs 1 crore compensation to the families of those killed, preservation of evidence and a structural audit of all PG accommodations in Delhi.

 

The court directed the authorities to file their responses within 10 days and listed the matter for further hearing on September 25. It also directed that the MCD should investigate if the collapsed building had valid construction permission and fix responsibility of the officials concerned if violatons were found.

 

The civic body has also been asked to report if PG hostel buildings across Delhi have valid permissions and how many students are residing in them.

 

The court noted that many of the affected students would be studying in Delhi University affiliated colleges and had come from outside Delhi. As DU does not have sufficient hostel accommodation for the students coming from outside Delhi, many of them are reliant on private PG hostels. The court therefore asked the MCD if there is any specific statutory framework that regulates PG hostels and directed Delhi University to give details of outstation admissions and hostel facilities available.

 

The building had reportedly been flagged by the MCD as an unauthorised construction, allegedly for exceeding the permitted height. Locals said that repair work was being carried out in the basement and that water had accumulated after recent rains, although civic authorities said that the cause could only be established after the debris was cleared.

 

The collapse has raised concerns over the safety of privately operated PGs and the need for stricter monitoring of building hosting students across Delhi.