Delhi HC Notice on PIL for DU Hostels After Satya Niketan Tragedy

The Delhi High Court has sought responses from the Union and Delhi governments and Delhi University on a PIL for more student hostels. The plea, filed after the fatal Satya Niketan building collapse, demands a plan for safe, affordable housing.

PIL Filed After Fatal Building Collapse

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice and sought responses from the Union Government, Delhi Government and Delhi University on a public interest litigation seeking adequate hostel facilities for students across colleges run by or affiliated with the University of Delhi.

The PIL has been filed in the backdrop of the recent Satya Niketan building collapse near Delhi University’s South Campus, where a five-storeyed building being used as a paying guest accommodation collapsed, resulting in the deaths of several college students and injuries to others.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia sought the response of the authorities on the plea filed by Vinod Jakhar. Advocate Vimal Tyagi appeared for the petitioner.

The Court, however, questioned the inclusion of the University Grants Commission as a respondent in the petition and directed that the UGC be deleted from the array of parties. Observing that a public interest litigation was a “very serious business”, the Bench directed the petitioner’s counsel to file an amended memo of parties within one week. The matter will now be heard on September 25, when another PIL concerning the Satya Niketan building collapse incident is also listed before the High Court.

What the PIL Demands

The fresh PIL seeks directions to the authorities to undertake a comprehensive college-wise assessment of the existing hostel capacity and the residential requirements of students studying at Delhi University. It further seeks formulation and implementation of a time-bound Hostel Development Policy or Master Plan for establishing and expanding adequate, safe and affordable institutional hostel facilities for DU students.

Advocate Vimal Tyagi appeared for the petitioner and submitted that the shortage of hostel accommodation has forced a large number of students, particularly those coming to Delhi from other parts of the country, to depend on private paying guest accommodations, hostels, rented rooms and shared flats.

Advocate Tyagi contended that the recent tragedy in Satya Niketan has brought into focus the risks faced by students who are compelled to reside in privately-run accommodations due to inadequate institutional hostel facilities.

Specific Proposals for Hostel Development

The plea seeks directions to authorities to consider construction or expansion of hostels in colleges having available land. Where individual colleges face genuine land constraints, it has suggested the development of common or cluster hostels on suitable government or university land for students of neighbouring colleges.

Pending the development of adequate institutional hostel infrastructure, the PIL has also sought structural and fire safety audits of private PG accommodations and student hostels operating in areas around DU colleges.

The petition states that the issue is not confined to Delhi University’s North Campus or South Campus alone but affects students studying across colleges and institutions located in different parts of Delhi.

The plea also refers to another pending PIL involving the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), titled National Students Union of India (NSUI) vs Union of India & Anr. The present petition, however, has been filed by Jakhar in his individual capacity.

The PIL essentially seeks a university-wide plan to address the shortage of student accommodation and immediate measures to ensure the safety of students living in private PGs and hostels, particularly in the aftermath of the Satya Niketan tragedy. The Delhi High Court will consider the matter further on September 25.

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