Sealing drive imminent, PG at Satya Niketan asks all 40 female occupants to move out - The Hindu

**Delhi, Sep 8 2026 –** The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has announced that a city‑wide sealing drive targeting structurally unsafe paying‑guest (PG) accommodations will begin within the next 48 hours. In response, the owner of a PG in the Satya Niketan neighbourhood informed the 40 female residents that they must vacate the premises by Friday evening. The decision follows a preliminary safety inspection that flagged severe cracks in load‑bearing walls, inadequate fire‑exits and an absence of a valid building safety certificate. The PG’s proprietor, Mr. Raghav Singh, said the move is “necessary to protect the occupants’ lives” and pledged to arrange temporary lodging in a nearby hostel approved by the MCD.

The sealing order comes in the wake of a tragic collapse of a private hostel building in south‑Delhi last month, which claimed the lives of nine students and injured dozens more. The incident has ignited a city‑wide audit of student housing, with the MCD launching a comprehensive survey of over 2,500 PGs and hostels across Delhi. Officials have already earmarked 120 structures for immediate demolition, citing violations of the Delhi Building Bye‑Law 1980 and non‑compliance with fire‑safety norms. The Satya Niketan PG, which houses a majority of university students from neighboring colleges, was among the first to be flagged in the audit’s second phase.

Student groups and housing rights activists have voiced alarm over the rapid displacement of the women staying at the PG, urging authorities to provide guaranteed alternative accommodation before any sealing is enforced. “We understand the safety concerns, but abrupt evictions without a clear rehousing plan exacerbate the housing crisis for students already struggling to find affordable, secure stays,” said Ananya Kumar, a spokesperson for the Delhi Student Union. The MCD has assured that displaced occupants will receive assistance through its newly created “Safe Student Housing” portal, which will list vetted PGs and hostels meeting structural standards. The unfolding situation highlights a broader challenge for Delhi’s burgeoning student population: balancing urgent safety imperatives with the need for reliable, affordable accommodation in a city where illegal and substandard housing remains pervasive.