ABVP Calls for Crackdown on Illegal Student PGs After Delhi Building Collapse

On Monday, members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) gathered at the Arts Faculty of Delhi University, their faces a mix of anger and grief. The protest came a day after a five‑storey paying‑guest (PG) building in Satya Niketan – a hotspot for student housing near the South Campus – caved in, leaving seven dead and a dozen rescued.

ABVP leader and Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) President Aryan Maan spoke to reporters, demanding the immediate resignation of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) Commissioner. “Any PG that operates without proper safety measures, fire audits or security protocols must be shut down,” he said, his voice rising as he warned operators that the ABVP would not back down.

Former DUSU secretary Mitravinda Karanwal added another layer to the outcry, alleging a “PG mafia” that colludes with corrupt MCD officials to push illegal five‑storey structures. “Students are forced into these unsafe buildings because the university simply does not have enough hostel rooms,” she lamented, pointing to a chronic shortage that leaves many young people with no other option.

The Satya Niketan collapse sparked a massive rescue operation. Delhi Police confirmed a death toll of seven, while twelve people were pulled to safety. The tragedy has ignited a broader debate about urban planning, student housing, and the responsibility of municipal authorities.

ABVP has laid out three clear demands: the resignation of the MCD Commissioner, a thorough audit of all PG accommodations in student‑dense areas, and a concrete plan from Delhi University to expand its hostel capacity. Until those conditions are met, the student wing says it will keep up the pressure, both on the streets and in court.

Authorities have yet to issue a formal response. Meanwhile, families of the victims mourn, and the campus community grapples with the unsettling reality that a place meant for learning can become a site of danger when regulations are ignored.