A Delhi PG safety survey conducted after the Satya Niketan building collapse has identified defects in 138 of the 2,250 paying guest properties inspected by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, including four buildings classified as dangerous and requiring urgent attention.
The survey found that 90 of the 138 properties needing repairs are in the MCD’s South Zone. The zone also accounts for 22 of the 25 PG properties identified as requiring major repairs. According to the MCD survey, around 47,000 people live in the properties assessed in the zone.
The inspection was ordered after the Satya Niketan building collapse and following directions from the Delhi High Court. The court had instructed the MCD to conduct a safety audit of PG accommodations within a week and provide details of the regulatory framework governing such properties. It also said responsibility for the incident could not be placed only on building owners, noting that the MCD and Delhi University also had roles in the matter.
The court directed the concerned authorities to file their responses within 10 days. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for September 25.
The MCD’s survey recorded the highest number of PG properties in the Civil Lines Zone, with 531 establishments. The zone includes North Campus of Delhi University and Mukherjee Nagar, areas with a high concentration of students and coaching institutions. The Keshavpuram Zone followed with 410 PG properties, while the South Zone had 384.
The South Zone includes the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Jawaharlal Nehru University and Delhi University’s South Campus. The presence of major educational institutions has created strong demand for rented and paying guest accommodation in the area, putting the safety of dense, student-oriented housing under scrutiny.
MCD officials said many of the weaker buildings identified during the survey were constructed without pillars. In such structures, the weight is carried by walls, roofs and floors, increasing the significance of repair and structural assessment before continued occupation. The survey classified 138 PG properties as needing minor repairs, 25 as requiring major repairs and four buildings as dangerous.
The civic body also undertook enforcement action at several locations. On Sunday, MCD teams carried out demolition operations against illegal or dilapidated construction at 11 sites and sealed four properties for rule violations. The sealing action took place in the East and Old Delhi zones, while demolition activity was reported from Satbari and other areas in the South Zone.
The survey has brought the regulatory gap around PG housing into focus. These properties often operate within established residential neighbourhoods but accommodate large numbers of tenants, particularly students, in buildings whose structural condition and occupancy arrangements may not be visible from the outside. The High Court’s proceedings are expected to examine the responsibilities of property owners, the MCD and other institutions involved in the operation and oversight of such accommodation.
