Ceiling collapses in DU college during class

A gypsum panel ceiling of a portable cabin classroom collapsed at Dyal Singh College of Delhi University (DU) on Wednesday while a class was in progress, officials said.

Dyal Singh College principal VK Paliwal confirmed that no one was injured. College authorities attributed the incident to ageing infrastructure, noting that several classes are currently being held in makeshift porta cabins.

“Many of the porta cabins in the college where classes are being conducted are old, and it’s hard to ascertain the current conditions of these porta cabins. We are trying to develop college infrastructure as soon as possible and have signed several MoUs for it,” Paliwal said.

Students said the sixth-semester BA History class was underway in room number 36 when the ceiling gave way. “This porta cabin classroom was not in good shape like many others and is situated behind the college library,” a student said.

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) said all porta classrooms were vacated and locked with immediate effect. College authorities have assured safe classrooms within 10 days.

According to teachers, the college is in dire need of new buildings as student strength is high and the college infrastructure is in a poor state, and the redevelopment projects have been stalled for years.

“The college building construction, which was supposed to be completed in the year 2018-2019, is still incomplete. The college has paid huge amounts in fines and penalties but the issues related to infrastructure upgrade have not been addressed yet,” a college professor said on condition of anonymity.

In a statement, ABVP, the student wing of the RSS, said that its members conducted a joint inspection of all porta cabin classrooms.

“Considering student safety as a top priority, all porta classrooms were vacated and locked with immediate effect. ABVP has demanded that all such classrooms be repaired and made structurally safe within 10 days,” it said.

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Further adding that the college administration has assured that all porta classrooms will be restored in accordance with prescribed safety standards within the next 10 days, and regular classes will resume thereafter, ABVP said in the statement.