An eerie atmosphere prevails across the crisscrossed alleyways of what has been referred to as the ‘prime locality’ for Delhi University (DU) students in South Campus. Satya Niketan’s cramped alleys are in visible disarray as residents brace for another disaster. None of the buildings here feels safe anymore.
Built on prime land, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s (MCD) list of booked buildings shows several properties in Satya Niketan that have been marked for action. According to the list, at Satya Niketan itself, three buildings were demarcated as ‘booked’ this year, with the latest two additions going back to June 9, 2026. Booked properties refer to those on the list for potential action, such as demolition, penalty or sealing — often arising from issues like construction without approval or deviations from a sanctioned plan.
Notices, but no action
However, these buildings, which only form a fraction of the many buildings that residents say remain in poor condition at Satya Niketan, remain standing despite notices for action. House numbers 85, 216 and 264 are among those listed and function as paying guest accommodations. Property number 216 is located opposite ‘Hostel Daze’, the building that collapsed.
These properties remain on the MCD’s booked-building list, while the records examined for this report do not indicate that any action was ever taken against them. On the contrary, the records reveal that a lot of these violations go as far back as 2021.
A total of seven unauthorised construction violations have been formally recorded across properties in Satya Niketan in 2021.
The individual instances document a pattern of unapproved developments across the neighbourhood. At House Number 47, illegal construction of a fifth floor was recorded, representing a continuation of an earlier violation notice. House Number 103 involved unauthorised development through the excavation of a basement alongside the raising of structural walls and columns on the ground floor. House Number 219 saw the unauthorised addition of both a third and fourth floor over an existing ground-to-second-floor structure.
Previous notices
Further instances of violations were cited across adjacent properties. House Number 246 was logged for the unauthorised addition of a fourth floor, continuing work previously cited under a file dated August 1, 2016. Similarly, House Number 255 and House Number 280 both involved the unauthorised erection of a fourth floor above older, occupied ground-to-third-floor premises. A similar situation was noticed with House Number 214 as well.
The records document these violations, but do not by themselves establish what action was subsequently taken in each case.
Rahul Jaiswal, a worker at an office in Satya Niketan, pointed towards a building that appeared to be in poor shape. “We moved to our new office fairly recently. I am glad that we did because we were always on edge whenever we came here, especially in the alleyways. The area along the main road is comparatively safer,” he said.
However, some residents say the concerns extend to residential buildings that also function as student accommodations.
A ramshackle white building with the second-floor balcony holding up a bare space where a door should have been offers a glimpse into the conditions in which DU students live. Students point towards a hanging fan in the building.
“When the building came crashing down, I think ours was the one that felt the most tremors. Right when it happened, it felt like the ground shook and then the fan just came crashing down. We knew that we had to leave, so all of us packed up,” said a resident, on the condition of anonymity.
Rampant neglect
Further inside the neighbourhood, signs of wear and poor maintenance are clearly visible on the structures. Moss-ridden buildings, with bamboo and other construction material jutting out, are a common sight. Poor lighting adds to the neglect.
A similar situation is also seen at North Campus, with Mukherjee Nagar and Hudson Lane being among the localities where buildings have been flagged for violation of norms. In Mukherjee Nagar, three buildings were booked. One each in 2026, 2025 and 2024. In Hudson Lane, two properties were booked in 2025. The records examined do not indicate whether subsequent action resulted in their removal from the booked list.
Much of the issue regarding continued violations can be linked to questions around enforcement and the consequences faced by property owners.
Extending power lines
In 2025, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced that properties previously booked by the MCD for unauthorised construction would become eligible for electricity connections.
The government said depriving residents of essential utilities was unjustified, noting that hundreds of thousands of people living in those properties without formal connections were subjected to severe inconvenience, which in turn fueled electricity theft in several areas. By extending access to legal power connections, the administration aimed to curb illegal supply tapping and bring greater transparency to the municipal system.
Media reports quoted the Chief Minister’s Office as saying that the instructions were issued to improve coordination between electricity distribution companies and municipal authorities, ensuring power would be withheld only when active demolition or sealing operations were formally notified. Following consultation with the law department, the government concluded that providing a legal, safe, and regulated electricity supply to all residents remained a necessary priority.
Similarly, in the same year, the MCD booked 4,766 unauthorised constructions and issued 3,989 demolition orders in 2025. Action was taken against 3,294 booked properties, with 22 fully demolished, 2,249 partly demolished, and 1,023 sealed.
In the wake of the Satya Niketan collapse, the MCD has begun issuing notices to damaged or hazardous structures adjacent to the site.
The affected building remains in a dangerous condition, with iron jacks currently installed to provide structural support, even as rescue efforts are in the final stage.
The authority confirmed that Building Number 13 is in a dangerous condition and has been evacuated, and three additional structures in the vicinity have been identified as hazardous. The demolition drive for these properties will commence after the rescue operation concludes.
Notices have been served under Section 348 of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, which empowers the Municipal Commissioner to order owners or occupiers to demolish, secure, or repair any building deemed to be in a ruinous condition, likely to fall or dangerous to the public.
The official notice states that the property is in a ruinous and dangerous condition and poses a risk to occupants, passers-by and people living in the neighbourhood. It directs the recipient to demolish the property within three days, warning that if they fail to comply, the authority may carry out the demolition and recover the associated costs.
According to an official statement, the collapsed building itself was registered as property number 14. Built on around 55 square yards in a resettlement colony, the five-storey structure housed students from Delhi University. The MCD has faced questions over the enforcement of building norms in the area following the collapse.
Police action
Investigators identified the owner of the collapsed building as Hariram Gupta, 81, a resident of Gurugram, who was arrested earlier on September 7. A First Information Report has been registered against him at the South Campus police station under Sections 105, 290 and 125(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, relating to culpable homicide not amounting to murder, negligent conduct in relation to buildings and acts endangering life or personal safety.
Hariram’s son and his wife have also been arrested, in connection with the case. According to police, the property was in the name of his wife, Urmila Gupta, 75. On the other hand, it was being managed by Hariram’s son, Mahesh Gupta, 52. The search for the PG operators and labour contractor is on and further investigation is underway.
Under the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957, action can be initiated against buildings found to be in a ruinous condition, likely to fall or dangerous to occupants and passers-by. The law also provides for action where the danger posed by an unstable building is considered imminent.
