India

Delhi CM Orders Demolition Drive Against Illegal Buildings After PG Collapse Kills Seven

By HT News Desk

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has instructed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to launch bulldozer action against illegal construction across various parts of the city, days after a paying guest (PG) accommodation collapse killed seven people. She also directed senior MCD officials to be present on-site during the enforcement action.

Gupta ordered thorough inspections of all PG hostels in Delhi and instructed officials to take action against unauthorized construction. She further asked authorities to review building records to determine when illegal construction occurred and which jurisdiction was responsible for allowing it.

The crackdown comes in the aftermath of the September 6 collapse of a building in Satya Niketan that was being used as a boys' PG accommodation. Seven people died in the incident. According to an FIR filed in the case, four floors of the five-storey structure had been built illegally.

Following the collapse, the Delhi government ordered structural audits and safety checks of PG accommodations on September 7, focusing on areas with a high concentration of student housing, including Mukherjee Nagar, Rajendra Nagar, Laxmi Nagar, Satya Niketan and Saket. Authorities were directed to verify construction permissions, structural integrity, fire-safety clearances and compliance with building regulations.

Separately, the MCD ordered the demolition of another dilapidated PG building adjacent to the collapse site in Satya Niketan after declaring it unsafe. The demolition began on Wednesday.

The incident has also exposed regulatory gaps in how PG accommodations are governed. The Master Plan for Delhi-2047 provides only limited rules for such establishments, restricting PG operations in Category A and B colonies while leaving broader regulation to periodic government guidelines. A senior MCD official said there is currently no dedicated licensing system for PG accommodations, which has allowed many residential setups to function as commercial enterprises. PG accommodation was included under the “other activities” category of mixed-land-use rules in 2016, subject to conditions such as minimum road width.

To address these gaps, the Delhi government is preparing a new law—the Paying Guest Accommodation Regulation and Safety Bill, 2026. The proposed legislation is expected to make licensing mandatory for PG operators, require structural and fire-safety audits, introduce zone-wise rent limits, and create a central online portal listing all registered PG accommodations.

The baseline report prepared for the Delhi Master Plan-2047 had earlier flagged the shortage of rental housing in the city and recommended the development of alternative housing options, including hostels, dormitories, student housing, co-living spaces and PG accommodations.