Delhi PG rules could change after the government formed a multi-agency sub-committee to examine how paying guest accommodation can be operated legally and safely in group housing societies and areas around major educational institutions. The move follows the incident in Satya Niketan and includes plans for inspections, a student housing information portal and new safety requirements.
Education Minister Ashish Sood announced the initiative during the second meeting of a high-powered committee on student accommodation and safety held on Thursday. The sub-committee includes representatives from the Delhi Development Authority, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the Delhi government and the vice-chancellor of Delhi University.
The committee will study whether provisions in Delhi’s Master Plan and the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act need to be amended, along with any possible exemptions. It will also examine the scope for legally operating PG accommodation within a radius of five to six kilometres of major educational centres and in group housing societies and Resident Welfare Association areas.
The wider high-powered committee was formed after the Satya Niketan incident to develop a comprehensive, safe and effective regulatory framework for PG accommodation and student hostels in Delhi. The proposed framework is expected to address both the legal status of such accommodation and the safety conditions in which students live.
A web portal is also being developed to collect information about student residences and the places where students live. The initial version will be kept simple and will record details such as the number of rooms, basic facilities available and other required information, according to the minister.
Joint teams of the MCD and DDA will inspect 100 identified cases over the next three days. The inspections will assess compliance with legal requirements and safety standards. The proposed regulatory framework also includes making CCTV cameras compulsory at the entrances and in common areas of PG accommodation.
The University of Delhi and the MCD are expected to conduct an initial trial of the portal within the next two to four days. A student registration campaign will follow. The high-powered committee is scheduled to meet again after Dussehra to review the sub-committee’s report and finalise the draft regulatory framework for PG accommodation and student housing.
