'Students shouldn't have to worry about...': After Satya Niketan building collapse, Rekha Gupta announces 10,000 new hostel beds

In a bid to address Delhi’s student housing crisis, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced on Thursday that the government will construct hostels with a total capacity of 10,000 beds for male and female students, more than a week after a Satya Niketan PG building collapsed near Delhi University’s (DU) South Campus.

CM Gupta said the plan aims to provide safe, affordable housing to outstation students who flock to the national capital for higher education. “

“Students should not have to worry about where they will stay, what the living environment will be like or how food arrangements will be made. They should have access to a safe and comfortable environment so that they can fully focus on their studies, their future and their dreams,” she said.

The announcement comes in the wake of heightened scrutiny over paying guest (PG) accommodations and the safety of buildings used as student hostels. The Satya Niketan incident, where a five-storey PG structure collapsed, killing several students and injuring others, has intensified calls for tighter regulation of PGs and hostels across the city.

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Education and housing officials said the 10,000-bed plan would be phased, with construction prioritized in high-demand corridors around DU and other major universities. The government will explore mixed-use facilities, modular hostels, and partnerships with private developers and nonprofit groups to accelerate delivery. The cost and funding model are expected to be outlined in the forthcoming budget.

The Delhi government has formed a high-powered panel to address student accommodation and safety in the wake of the Satya Niketan tragedy. Chaired by Education Minister Ashish Sood and constituted by Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu, the panel will examine the shortage of student housing, safety standards, and regulation of accommodation facilities.

Besides this, separate portal for PG operators will also be created for them to register their properties and provide details including the age and size of buildings and fire safety measures.

“DDA and urban development department will identify land parcels for new hostels. The committee will also work on a regulatory framework for PG accommodation, including mandatory registration, a central database, lease-related provisions and measures to address arbitrary electricity surcharges and rent variations,” Sood said.

The committee has been tasked with submitting its recommendations within 60 days. Its members include top administration and police officials, along with vice-chancellors from Delhi University and other universities, to ensure a comprehensive, cross-departmental approach to the housing crisis and regulatory gaps.

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Following initial measures, a 20-member committee was approved to assess the demand-supply gap in residential facilities for students and to secure land availability for hostel development. The LG has directed officials to explore using vacant government land and buildings for student accommodation, expanding the policy remit beyond existing structures.