Delhi Building Collapse: How A 50-Year Old Structure Became A Student Hostel

The collapse of a five-storey building in Delhi’s Satya Niketan, which killed at least six people and left several others injured, has raised questions over how a nearly 50-year-old dilapidated structure was converted into a paying guest accommodation for students despite construction work still being underway.

The building, named Hostel Daze, had around 30 rooms and was reportedly meant to house two to three students in each room. Its location near Delhi University made it a lucrative property for student accommodation. But locals said the structure had been in poor condition before it was renovated and opened to tenants in August.

According to NDTV, the owner, Hari Ram Bansal, had reportedly moved to Gurugram years ago. Residents alleged that the property was converted into a PG while construction work continued, including work in the basement where labourers were present when the building collapsed.

Among the 11 people rescued from the debris were two labourers. At least six of them died.

From Dilapidated Building To Student PG

The building had reportedly stood for around five decades and had deteriorated due to age, weather and neglect. Its transformation into a student hostel began months before the collapse.

Locals said the building was opened to tenants in August even though renovation and construction work had not been completed.

The circumstances have raised questions over whether the building was structurally fit to house dozens of students and whether necessary permissions and safety norms were followed.

The property was originally a residential building, while its conversion into a PG accommodation effectively changed the way it was being used.

The area was also waterlogged after two consecutive days of rain. The sloping terrain of the road contributes to water accumulation, according to PTI.

Residents said water had collected in the basement of the building even as construction work continued.

“Labourers were working in the basement even during the rain. Waterlogging is common in the basements of buildings here, and they could also be trapped,” a local told PTI.

Another resident said workers had been carrying out construction in the basement and that a wall was being removed.

PG Boom Raises Questions Over Regulation

The collapse has also put the spotlight on the widespread conversion of residential properties into student PGs in the area around Delhi University.

According to NDTV, a local resident, Priyanka, who said she had lived in the area for more than two decades, alleged that several homeowners had converted residential buildings into hostels and moved elsewhere.

“Buildings here are being constructed up to five or six floors. Many houses have been converted into boys' PGs, with the owners shifting elsewhere,” she said, alleging that some property owners simply collect rent online without regularly visiting the premises.

The allegations raise broader questions over building safety, structural inspections and regulation of PG accommodations in densely populated student neighbourhoods.

With the building having been occupied only recently and construction still underway, authorities will now have to establish whether structural alterations contributed to the collapse and whether the property had the required approvals for its use as a student accommodation.

A case has been registered against owner Hari Ram Bansal following the collapse. But for families who lost loved ones, the action comes only after a preventable tragedy has already occurred.