The Delhi High Court has refused to give an urgent hearing to a public interest litigation that sought hostel facilities in every college of Delhi University. The plea was filed after a five storey paying guest building collapsed in the Satya Niketan area of the city. The incident reportedly claimed lives and left several students injured. It once again put the spotlight on the shortage of safe and affordable accommodation for students in Delhi. Students and parents have long complained that hostel seats in the university are very limited. Scroll the article to get more details.
What The Court Told the Petitioner
The matter came up before a division bench of Chief Justice Dk Upadhayaa and Justice Tejas Karia on Tuesday. A lawyer mentioned the petition for an urgent listing and said it was filed in the wake of building collapse. The bench said such a direction cannot be issued at an interim stage. It asked whether a court can order all colleges to create hostels in such a manner. The court told the counsel to file the plea normally instead of seeking urgency. It also said the matter will be auto listed in due course. The lawyer pointed out that the petition does not seek compensation. It only seeks a clear direction that every college must have hostel facilities for its students. The plea will now be taken up as per the normal schedule of the court.
Why the Petition was Needed
The collapse took place on Sunday at around 1.30 pm while repair work was going on in the basement of the building. The structure housed a boys paying guest accommodation near the South Campus of Delhi University. Locals said waterlogging in the basement may have weakened the building. The police have arrested the owner and his family members and booked them for culpable homicide and negligence. The court had already heard another petition on the same incident on Monday. In that matter it asked the civic body to check whether the collapsed building had valid permission. It also told the authorities to fix responsibility on officials if the construction was found legal. The incident has renewed the debate on why colleges do not have enough hostels for their students.
Also Read:
Delhi Govt Sets 6 Week Deadline for New PG Rules, Education Minister Meets Students
Satya Niketan Building Collapse: Support Mobilised for Trapped Students and Affected Families
