CM Rekha Gupta reviews Delhi’s PG safety, student housing regulations

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

New Delhi, Sep 7 (IANS) After the death of seven people in the Satya Niketan building collapse, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Monday that the state government would step up checks on buildings, strengthen safety enforcement and review regulations governing paying guest (PG) accommodations across the national capital.

In a post on social media platform X, CM Rekha Gupta added that she attended a joint review meeting chaired by Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu on building safety, student accommodation and PG regulations in Delhi.

She said that the meeting focused on strict safety checks, fixing responsibility and improving coordination among government agencies.

Chief Minister Gupta announced that a committee led by Urban Development Minister Ashish Sood would review existing PG regulations.

“The committee will also explore ways to increase student accommodation through universities, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA).”

The Delhi government will examine the possibility of using vacant DDA housing units to provide accommodation for students, the Chief Minister said.

A key decision taken at the meeting is to conduct structural audits of existing PG buildings to assess their safety and security.

The move comes amid growing concerns over the condition of student accommodation in Delhi following the Satya Niketan tragedy.

Earlier on Monday, Chief Minister Gupta said that five MCD officials had been suspended in connection with the building collapse.

The suspended officials include the South Zone Deputy Commissioner, Superintending Engineer, Executive Engineer, Assistant Engineer and Junior Engineer.

The Chief Minister also ordered a citywide drive to identify and seal buildings having unauthorised fifth floors.

She said that nearby PG accommodations and buildings would also undergo thorough inspections, with strict action against violations.

“Anyone found guilty or responsible will not be spared,” CM Gupta said in her earlier statement.

The meeting was attended by the Delhi Chief Secretary Rajeev Verma, NDRF Director General Piyush Anand, Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar and other senior officials.

Officials said that the Rekha Gupta-led government’s latest measures signal a wider crackdown on unsafe buildings while seeking to address the shortage of safe and affordable accommodation for students in Delhi.

–IANS

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Employment and self-reliance must be core goals of universities: UP Governor Anandiben

Lucknow, Sep 7 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel on Sunday assertively stated that universities must go beyond teaching and take responsibility for ensuring employment and self-reliance for students.

She made the statement during a dialogue programme held at Raj Bhavan to celebrate the remarkable performance of UP universities in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2025.

Governor Patel said that in today’s rapidly changing world, innovation across all sectors is unlocking new opportunities, and universities must collaboratively use available resources to move forward continuously. “Merely imparting education is not enough,” she said. “Ensuring that students become employable and self-reliant is the real responsibility of universities.”

She instructed universities to regularly organise departmental competitions and activities to uncover hidden talents and skills. “Teachers, staff, and students are the real strength of any university,” she added.

The Governor also highlighted initiatives at Raj Bhavan, such as training 22 children in flute playing, preparing them for performance during the Republic Day parade on January 26. A model school is also being developed within the premises. Raj Bhavan staff have enrolled 75 children from nearby settlements and encouraged parents to value education.

Governor Patel further directed that at least five departments in every university should conduct internal competitions, promoting the best innovations and skills. “There should be open discussions with students, and their ideas must be included in university planning,” she said.

Stressing the potential of women, she urged universities to harness their skills effectively. She also stressed the need for all affiliated colleges to aim for NAAC accreditation.

Additional Chief Secretary Dr Sudhir Mahadeo Bobde called the ranking success a proud moment for the higher education system in the state, but added that it’s now time for universities to focus on addressing their weaknesses.

–IANS

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Alert in Andhra Pradesh as heavy rain lashes Rayalaseema, South Coast

Amaravati, Oct 22 (IANS) The Andhra Pradesh government on Wednesday placed the state machinery on high alert as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for a few districts in view of low pressure in the Bay of Bengal, which is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm.

Minister for Home and Disaster Management V. Anitha reviewed the situation with the officials of the Disaster Management Authority. She directed that NDRF, SDRF, police and fire personnel should be ready for rescue and relief operations.

The Home Minister said control rooms in the districts should be on alert round-the-clock. She directed officials to take steps to prevent loss of life and ensure that people do not suffer any inconvenience.

She directed them to send warning messages to the people from time to time on weather conditions.

For any assistance, people can contact the 24-hour toll-free numbers 112, 1070, 18004250101.

The IMD issued a red alert for SPSR Nellore, Prakasam, YSR Kadapa, Annamayya, Tirupati and Chittoor districts. Extremely heavy rainfall (more than 204.5 mm) is expected at isolated places in these districts.

The IMD also issued an orange alert for the districts of Kurnool, Nandyal, Anantapur, Sri Sathya Sai and Bapatla.

Parts of Rayalaseema and South Coastal Andhra Pradesh have been receiving heavy rain since Tuesday, as there is one depression over the southeast Arabian Sea, and another depression is likely to be formed over the Bay of Bengal.

The IMD said in a bulletin that the well-marked low-pressure area over the southeast Arabian Sea concentrated into a depression and lay centred at 5.30 a.m. on Wednesday (October 22). It is likely to move slowly north-northwestwards during the next 24 hours.

Meanwhile, the well-marked low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal moved northwestwards and lay over the southwest Bay of Bengal at 5.30 a.m. on Wednesday. It is likely to intensify into a depression over the southwest and adjoining west central Bay of Bengal, off the north Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh coasts during the next 12 hours. Thereafter, it is likely to move across north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and south Andhra Pradesh coasts during the subsequent 12 hours.

Under the influence of these two systems, strong winds, thunderstorms and lightning are also expected in the districts of Rayalaseema and South Coastal Andhra Pradesh.

According to the State Disaster Management Authority, many places in South Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema received moderate to heavy rainfall between Tuesday, 8.30 a.m. and Wednesday, 8.30 a.m.

Srikalahasti and Thottambedu mandals in Tirupati district received rainfall of 184.6 mm and 176.8 mm, respectively. Kodur mandal in Annamayya district recorded 151.3 mm of rainfall during the same period. Seven other mandals of Tirupati district received rainfall between 109.2 mm and 149.4 mm.

–IANS

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Supreme Court committee begins three day review in Karur on CBI probe into TVK rally stampede

Karur, Dec 2 (IANS) A Supreme Court-appointed committee led by retired apex court judge Justice Ajay Rastogi on Tuesday began a three-day review in Karur to oversee the ongoing CBI investigation into the devastating stampede at Velusamypuram on September 27, which claimed 41 lives and left several others injured.

The stampede took place during a political rally addressed by actor and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader Vijay.

Justice Rastogi, accompanied by senior IPS officers Sonal Mishra and Sumit Saran, arrived at the Public Works Department Guest House around 10 a.m.

The facility is currently serving as a temporary CBI operations centre. The panel’s visit marks the first major supervisory action after the Supreme Court halted the earlier Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe led by Inspector General of Police Asra Garg and transferred the investigation to the CBI, placing it under the committee’s direct monitoring.

More than 15 CBI officials, led by Gujarat-cadre IPS officer Praveen Kumar, have been stationed in Karur for several days.

The team has been analysing crucial crowd-movement videos, surveillance camera footage, and witness testimonies to reconstruct the chain of events that led to the deadly crush.

Justice Rastogi and the supervising officers held an extensive review meeting with the investigation team on Tuesday, assessing their progress and providing directions for the next phase of the probe.

On Monday, CBI Deputy Inspector General Atul Kumar Thakur visited the stampede site after detailed discussions at the guest house, inspecting the layout and points identified as critical in the preliminary analysis of crowd flow and emergency response.

Over the next two days, the committee is expected to interact with families of the deceased as well as survivors who sustained injuries.

These meetings aim to document grievances, gather additional eyewitness accounts, and hear concerns about alleged lapses in crowd control, event coordination, and on-ground safety arrangements.

Representatives of political parties and members of the public are also likely to submit petitions to the panel.

Officials said all submissions will be formally recorded as part of the fact-finding exercise.

Karur District Collector M. Thangavel and RDO Mohammed Faizal received the committee and briefed them on the administrative response so far, including compensation disbursement and new safety protocols introduced since the incident.

According to police sources, Justice Rastogi will conclude the Karur visit on December 4 before departing to Coimbatore to board a return flight.

—IANS

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