Satya Niketan building collapse: Supreme Court mulls pan-India safety norms for student accommodation
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Satya Niketan building collapse: Supreme Court mulls pan-India safety norms for student accommodation")
The Supreme Court had earlier raised concerns over unsafe and unauthorised structures in Delhi-NCR. Photograph: (ANI)
The Supreme Court bench said it was considering taking up the issue on a pan-India basis and may transfer the PIL pending before the Delhi High Court to itself. The matter was brought before the bench by court-appointed Amicus Curiae and Senior Advocate Ajit Kumar Sinha.
After seven people were killed in the collapse of a building having paying guest (PG) facility in Delhi’s Satya Niketan, the Supreme Court on Tuesday indicated that it may expand its court-monitored exercise against illegal constructions and the unauthorised use of residential premises to examine the safety of student accommodation across the country.
A Bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and R. Mahadevan said it would take up the matter on Thursday (September 10) after the court-appointed amicus curiae sought a time-bound safety audit of PG facilities, private hostels and other student accommodation in and around colleges across Delhi.
Also Read: Moscow threatens ‘harsh’ retaliation after Hungary orders expulsion of 10 Russian diplomats
‘It has to be on a pan-India basis’
The bench said it was considering taking up the issue on a pan-India basis and may transfer the PIL pending before the Delhi High Court to itself.
“We already have something in mind. It has to be on a pan-India basis. We may get it (petition before Delhi High Court) transferred here. We will take it day after tomorrow,” the court said.
Trending Stories
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
The matter was brought before the bench by court-appointed Amicus Curiae and Senior Advocate Ajit Kumar Sinha, who sought urgent directions for safety inspections and structural audits of PG accommodations, hostels and other student housing facilities in Delhi.
“In view of the recent tragic incident, it is a very serious issue. We have inspected, completed and the last inspection is today at 2:30pm,” Sinha told the court.
SG Tushar Mehta backs possibility of transferring Delhi HC proceedings
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta backed the possibility of transferring the Delhi High Court proceedings, describing the collapse as a “horrific incident” and pointing to the PIL already pending there.
The Satya Niketan building, which was being operated as a boys’ PG near Delhi University’s South Campus, collapsed on September 6 while repair work was reportedly underway.
The apex court had earlier raised concerns over unsafe and unauthorised structures in Delhi-NCR following the Saket building collapse and Malviya Nagar hotel fire. It had ordered time-bound surveys and warned that officials could face personal accountability for failing to address violations.
Delhi HC ordered MCD to conduct high-level inquiry
The Delhi High Court separately ordered the MCD to conduct a high-level inquiry into the Satya Niketan collapse, including verification of construction permissions and identification of officials responsible for lapses.
The PIL is now likely to be transferred to the Supreme Court.
The five deceased students killed in the building collapse hailed from Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh and had come to the national capital for their education.
The MCD has since suspended five South Zone officials, including a Deputy Commissioner and engineering officials. The building owner Hariram Gupta, his wife Urmila and son Mahesh have also been arrested.
