Satya Niketan building collapse: ground zero tells a story of fear and displacement

One person was killed, and three were critically injured after a five-storey building collapsed in South Delhi’s Satya Niketan on Sunday. Around 12 fire tenders were deployed at the site. Eight persons have been rescued from the rubble so far, while over 50 people are suspected to have been trapped, according to sources.

According to sources at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), four patients were brought to the hospital earlier in the day. One was declared dead on arrival, and three were critical, and one of those rescued has been discharged.

According to the police, there was repair work being conducted in the basement of the PG accomodation.

On the other hand, residents highlighted that the building was undergoing construction in its basement during the monsoon and that this may have weakened its foundations. “Doing construction during the monsoons is obviously risky, and a load-bearing wall or pillar reportedly gave way, causing the entire building to come crashing down. When it collapsed, it took out electricity lines as well,” said a resident of a nearby PG and a student of Jesus and Mary College (JMC), on condition of anonymity.

Power, internet off

The collapse caused disruption among property owners and hostellers in the area, residents said. “Power and internet services have been completely shut down across the area, at least in my PG. What are students supposed to do in times like this? How can we just sit back and watch a place that we live in, a place we consider our second home, just crumble to pieces like that? It feels completely unsafe for me to even go back to my PG because no one knows what to expect by tomorrow morning,” she said.

According to residents, the two five-storey buildings were situated directly opposite the Shiv Mandir.

One of the buildings was identified as ‘Hostel Daze’, a men’s PG accommodation. Witnesses said both buildings were likely being used as boys’ hostels.

“Power and Wi-Fi are completely dead across the area, even for the local food chains, so there is virtually nothing to eat over there. The remaining residents in Satya Niketan have no access to the internet or basic food supplies, and a mass relocation is going on. Most of the people living in Satya Niketan PGs have already left. Neighbouring PGs in Anand Niketan have offered shelter, people are coordinating to stay with friends, and some local families have opened their homes so displaced students have a safe place to sleep,” said Japgun Kaur, a third-year BA History (Hons) student at JMC.

Students and faculty members from several colleges in South Campus, including JMC, have also joined the rescue efforts, students said.

“Right now, everything is very foggy and nobody really knows for sure what is happening. They have two to three rescue buses stationed there, and Jesus and Mary College is also sending help. Our faculty and staff members have gone directly to the site to assist,” said Emily Yolmo, president of the JMC student council and a third-year BA Economics student.

Read More: Delhi CM inspects waterlogged areas, directs swift drainage amid heavy rain