Delhi Police has begun direct outreach to students living in paying guest accommodation and rented homes near coaching hubs, asking them to report safety concerns ranging from exposed electrical wires and waterlogging to theft and rash driving. The initiative has gained urgency after the Satya Niketan building collapse raised wider concerns about the safety of student housing and its surrounding neighbourhoods.
At an interaction in Karol Bagh, a major coaching and PG hub, personnel waited near coaching centres and student accommodation before speaking to students returning from classes. Karol Bagh SHO Karuna Sagar shared her phone number with the students and asked whether they felt safe in their PGs, on nearby roads and while walking through the neighbourhood.
The discussion showed that student safety concerns are not limited to fire extinguishers, emergency exits or the physical condition of a rented building. Students also raised issues linked to infrastructure outside their accommodation, including electrical wires hanging over roads and waterlogging during the rains.
Kiran, a UPSC aspirant who has lived in the area for two years, said exposed wires become particularly worrying when rainwater collects on the road. “If these wires fall into the water, there is fear of electrocution. It’s not just about how safe the building is. The overall area should be safe for students,” he said.
The concern comes after the death of a UPSC aspirant from electrocution in west Delhi’s Patel Nagar in 2024. Another student, Abhinav, said wires were positioned directly above the road and described the situation as unsafe.
Students also spoke about a theft in a nearby lane, rash driving on roads used heavily by coaching students and concerns about whether the streets outside their accommodation were adequately maintained. The interaction therefore covered the wider public environment around PGs, rather than only the buildings where students live.
With electrical wiring emerging as a major concern, SHO Sagar said the next meeting would include officials from BSES. Police officials said issues under the jurisdiction of other departments were being taken up with the relevant agencies.
The Karol Bagh meeting is part of a wider Delhi Police exercise. DCP (Central) Rohit Rajbir Singh said teams from police stations across the city were reaching out to students, PG residents and coaching hubs to understand their concerns. Police are also sharing contact details so that residents can raise problems before they develop into emergencies.
The outreach places the police at the first point of contact for concerns involving several civic agencies. The next interaction with BSES officials is expected to focus on electrical safety in and around the student-heavy neighbourhood.
