‘Very, very pathetic’: HC criticises Delhi University, civil body over building collapse

The Delhi High Court on Monday said that responsibility for the building collapse in the national capital extends beyond the owners of the building, holding the city’s municipal corporation and Delhi University accountable as well, The Indian Express reported.

Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya referred to the “very, very pathetic situation” of hostel availability, and verbally remarked that there needed to be a mechanism for regulating paying guest accommodations. The court said that the university had failed to provide adequate housing facilities for students from outside Delhi, forcing them to rely on private paying guest accommodation.

While hearing a public interest litigation seeking an independent investigation into the collapse of the five-storey building in Delhi’s Satya Niketan area, the court described the incident as “most unfortunate”, PTI reported.

The building, which was being used as paying guest accommodation for students, collapsed on Sunday afternoon, killing seven persons, including five students. The police said that as per inquiries, the structure was 40 to 50 years old, and repair work was underway in the basement when the building caved in.

A bench comprising Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to examine the matter and find out whether the collapsed building had been constructed with the required permissions, The Indian Express reported.

“If it is found that it was...

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