The collapse of a five-storey building that housed university students in Delhi has brought to the fore questions about the support and safety afforded to young people residing in India’s capital.
Following the collapse of the private accommodation, known as Hostel Daze, on 6 September, authorities have confirmed seven people dead and 12 were in hospital. It was feared there were students still trapped or buried in the rubble.
The building was situated in the Satya Niketan neighbourhood in the south west of the city, near the campus of the University of Delhi. Delhi police are investigating potential reasons for the collapse, and have arrested the building owner and his family.
Thousands of students from across India come to the capital for their tertiary education, but few of them secure on-campus accommodation. Owing to limited university infrastructure and resources, significant numbers of students therefore rely on private hostels, what is known as “paying guest” (PG) accommodation.
Delhi-based independent journalist Javed Khan told Times Higher Education that Hostel Daze held 15 rooms and roughly 75 beds, with students paying between 12,000 and 15,000 Indian rupees per bed each month. This is approximately £100 per bed in a shared room, “which is very expensive for students in India”, he said.
