Delhi Satya Niketan Building Collapse: Education Minister Prahlad Joshi Speaks to CM Rekha Gupta

Union Education Minister Prahlad Joshi has spoken to Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta following the collapse of a private building in Satya Niketan near Delhi University's South Campus, as rescue operations continued and concerns grew over the safety of student accommodations.

Joshi said the Delhi Chief Minister was personally monitoring the situation and had assured him that rescue and relief operations were underway. He also expressed concern for those feared trapped beneath the debris and wished a speedy recovery to those injured.

The five-storey building, locally known as Hostel Daze, collapsed in Satya Niketan on Sunday afternoon. Several students were feared trapped after the structure came down.

Police received information about the incident through a PCR call at around 1.34 pm. Eight fire tenders, along with multiple rescue teams, were subsequently deployed to the site.

Residents in the area also joined rescue efforts, helping remove debris using available tools and their bare hands. Some residents claimed they felt what appeared to be a tremor shortly before the building collapsed.

There were also claims that construction work had been taking place in the basement of the building before the incident. However, these claims have not been independently verified.

The incident has sparked fresh demands for an investigation into the collapse and a comprehensive safety audit of private paying guest accommodations used by students across Delhi.

Several student and teachers' organisations, including the National Democratic Teachers' Front, ABVP, NSUI and the Students' Federation of India, have called for an inquiry and stronger safety checks for student housing.

ABVP volunteers were involved in assisting rescue operations and called for additional rescue personnel, ambulances, medical support and specialised equipment at the site.

ABVP national general secretary Virendra Singh Solanki demanded a high-level investigation and action against those responsible if safety violations were found.

The Students' Federation of India also urged government intervention to regulate private PG accommodations, raising concerns about overcrowding, sanitation and the absence of formal rental arrangements in areas heavily populated by students.

The Satya Niketan building collapse has once again brought attention to the safety standards of private student accommodations in Delhi, particularly in neighbourhoods surrounding major university campuses.