Satya Niketan building collapse: Hostel agreement said 'not responsible' for casualties or damage, as 7 die in tragedy

A tenancy agreement signed by residents of the Satya Niketan PG that collapsed on Sunday, killing seven people, has come under scrutiny after it emerged that the document excluded the hostel from liability for personal injury, loss or damage caused by circumstances such as sealing, fire, earthquake or heavy rain, describing these as reasons beyond the PG's control.

The agreement also stated that the PG authorities bore no responsibility for casualties to tenants. The clauses have drawn attention amid wider scrutiny of PG accommodations operating out of residential buildings in the capital.

Also read: Satya Niketan building collapse most unfortunate; MCD, DU responsible too: Delhi HC


Separately, the Delhi High Court on Monday ordered a high-level inquiry by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi into the collapse, and said the civic body cannot evade responsibility for the tragedy.

A bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia termed the incident "most unfortunate" and said such collapses stem from inadequate measures by the MCD and other authorities. The court directed agencies to intensify rescue efforts.

The bench said responsibility for the collapse does not lie solely with the PG owner. It held that the MCD is equally responsible for ensuring that construction and repair work in the city complies with building bylaws and other regulations.

The remarks came while the court issued notice to the Centre, the Delhi government, the MCD, Delhi Police and the National Human Rights Commission on a public interest litigation filed by law student Aniket Kumar Gupta. The plea seeks urgent medical care and rehabilitation for affected students, Rs 1 crore compensation for the kin of the deceased, preservation of evidence related to the collapse, and a structural audit of all PG accommodations in the city.

The court directed the authorities to file their replies within 10 days and listed the matter for further hearing on September 25. It took note of an assurance from Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, Delhi government, MCD and Delhi Police, that rescue operations were being carried out in full swing.

The bench directed the MCD to conduct an inquiry at its highest executive level into whether the building had valid construction permission, and to fix responsibility on officials if violations are found. It asked the civic body to submit a report on whether PG hostel buildings across the city have valid permissions and how many students reside in them.

The court observed that the students affected by the collapse were enrolled in Delhi University-affiliated colleges, many from outside Delhi, and noted that DU does not provide adequate hostel capacity for outstation students, pushing them toward private PG accommodation. It directed the MCD to clarify whether any statutory framework exists to regulate PG hostels, and asked DU to furnish data on outstation student admissions and hostel availability.

The court also flagged concerns over videos circulating on social media showing people injured or trapped in the debris, and Mehta urged that circulation of such visuals be stopped.

The building had reportedly been flagged earlier by the MCD as an unauthorised construction, built beyond the permitted height for the plot. Locals have said repair work was underway in the basement, with water accumulation following recent rain, though civic officials said this could not be confirmed until debris clearance was complete.

The Satya Niketan collapse has renewed scrutiny of safety standards in privately run PG accommodations and hostels across Delhi.