Delhi building collapse death toll up to 7; HC orders citywide PG inspection, flags student housing woes

The death toll in the collapse of a building housing students in the Satya Niketan area rose to seven on Monday, even as the Delhi High Court expressed deep concern over the safety of students living in similar paying guest (PG) accommodations across the national capital and directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to inspect all PG hostels under its jurisdiction within a week.

The Delhi Police arrested Hariram Gupta, 82, a retired Indian Air Force sergeant, his wife Urmila Gupta, 75, and their son Mahesh Gupta, 52. While the property was registered in Mrs. Gupta’s name, the men’s PG was allegedly being run by her husband and sun, police said. A search is ongoing for those operating the PG and the labour contractors that were carrying out repair work in the building’s basement. “Their role will also be examined in the case and accordingly action will be taken,” said Amit Goel, Deputy Commissioner of Police, South West.

Five officials of the MCD, the civic body responsible for issuing PG licenses and enforcing building norms, were suspended. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the government is exploring a policy to govern buildings used for several purposes, including PG accommodations.

Delhi building collapse: Follow LIVE updates on August 7, 2026

Shortage of hostels

In the High Court, a bench of Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia said the deaths raised serious concerns about the safety of students living in PG accommodations and the acute shortage of hostel facilities for outstation students in Delhi. The deceased students hailed from several States, including Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh.

The court directed the MCD to ascertain whether PG buildings in its jurisdiction had been constructed with valid permissions, whether they complied with building bye-laws, and whether any violations had taken place.

The High Court said the responsibility for the incident could not, prima facie, be confined to the property owner, as the role of university authorities and the MCD also required examination. It directed the civic body to conduct its inspection at the highest executive level and fix responsibility public servants if the collapsed building was found to have been constructed without authorisation.

Threat to students’ lives

“These PGs are not only very dangerous, they are causing threat to the lives, security to these students,” the Bench observed, stressing the need for greater hostel capacity for students coming to Delhi from across the country.

The court directed Delhi University to provide details of the number of such outstation students enrolled in its affiliated colleges and the number and capacity of hostels run by the university or the government. It questioned the absence of adequate hostel facilities, saying the shortage left students with little option but to depend on PGs and private hostels. The court also sought details of any statutory provisions governing PG accommodations in Delhi, while emphasising the need for a regulatory framework.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta assured the court that the State government was actively monitoring the situation and that no stone would be left unturned in the rescue operations.

The case will next be heard on September 25.

Three in critical condition

Over the course of the 28-hour rescue operation, at least 12 people were brought to the AIIMS Trauma Centre, while three were taken to Safdarjung hospital for treatment. At AIIMS, six people were brought dead, while one more person later succumbed to his injuries. At least three are said to be in a critical condition, the official statement from the hospital said. One person admitted is stable and receiving treatment, while another person was discharged on Sunday itself. The three patients at Safdarjung Hospital were also reported to be stable.

The rescue work was declared complete at 5 p.m. on Monday, with agencies saying the debris had been removed entirely from the site. The mortal remains of those deceased were handed over the family members, the police said.