Seven people have died so far after a five-storey building collapsed in Delhi's Satya Niketan area on Sunday, with victims trapped under the debris. In the aftermath, a team visited nearby paying-guest accommodations to check the conditions renters were actually living in. Directly across from the collapse site stood another five-storey rented building, where single rooms are let out to students studying at Delhi University.
One staircase, one exit, and no regard for fire safety norms
The building's layout raised immediate concerns. The staircase leading to the upper floors is extremely narrow, and the entire structure has only one way in and one way out, with no separate entry or exit point. That means in the event of a fire or any other emergency, residents would have no alternative route to escape. This directly violates fire safety norms, which require multi-storey buildings to have separate escape routes.
Rs 17,000 rent, but almost nothing in return
Inside, the room belonging to Delhi University student Sharansh Vishwakarma turned out to be a double-sharing setup, shared by two students. Each bed costs Rs 8,000 a month, which puts the combined rent for the room at around Rs 17,000. Despite that steep rent, the only amenities inside are a water tank and a slab fitted into a corner to serve as a makeshift kitchen, complete with an RO water purifier. Sharansh said every other tenant in the building lives under the same arrangement, meaning his room is not an exception but the norm across the entire property.
Students now scared to keep living there
The inspection also found no real safety measures in place anywhere in the building. The stairwell leading upstairs is so cramped that two or three people would not be able to pass through it together if a stampede or any other emergency broke out. Since the Satya Niketan collapse, Sharansh said he has started feeling afraid about continuing to stay there. He admitted the idea of moving out crosses his mind, but he has not been able to decide where he would go instead. Because the location is close to his college, staying on remains convenient for him, leaving him caught between fear and practicality for now.
