Three people have died after a five-storey building collapsed in Delhi’s Satya Niketan area under the South Campus police station on Sunday afternoon. The building housed a paying guest (PG) accommodation where students from several Delhi University colleges were staying.
Eight injured students have so far been pulled out of the debris and shifted to AIIMS and Safdarjung Hospital for treatment. According to AIIMS authorities, four injured people have been admitted there, with two reported to be in critical condition. Several others are still feared trapped under the rubble.
The collapse took place at around 1:30 pm, according to local residents. Rescue teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Delhi Fire Services and police, along with local residents and Delhi University students, have been involved in the operation.
Preliminary information suggests that construction work was underway in the building’s basement when one of the pillars may have developed a crack, possibly triggering the collapse. However, the exact cause will be established only after a detailed investigation.
Local residents said the building, spread over around 80 square yards, was old and had remained vacant for years because of its poor condition and limited number of pillars. Shops were located on the ground floor but reportedly struggled to attract tenants. A company leased the property last year and renovated it, after which a PG facility was started. The number of students living there increased significantly this year.
Satya Niketan is located close to Delhi University’s South Campus and has several colleges, including Sri Venkateswara College, Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College, Motilal Nehru College, Aryabhatta College, Jesus and Mary College and Maitreyi College. The residential locality has seen a rise in PG accommodations due to high demand from students.
The incident comes just three months after six medical students were killed when a five-storey building collapsed in Saidulajab on May 30.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta visited the site after the collapse and reviewed the rescue operation from the terrace of a nearby temple. Minister Kapil Mishra, BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj and local MLA Anil Sharma were also present. Gupta directed officials to conduct an investigation into the incident.
