New Delhi: The Supreme Court took cognizance of the fatal building collapse in southwest Delhi’s Satya Niketan neighbourhood, announcing on Tuesday that it will hear the matter on September 10. The incident, which occurred on September 6, claimed seven lives and left several others injured after a multi-storey structure operating as a boys’ paying guest accommodation collapsed near Delhi University’s South Campus.
A bench comprising Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Justice R. Mahadevan indicated that it may transfer a public interest litigation currently pending before the Delhi High Court to the top court. Turning down Solicitor General Tushar Mehta’s submission to allow the High Court to handle the proceedings independently, the bench noted that the issues overlapped with its ongoing, wider proceedings on unauthorized constructions and illegal commercial land use. Justice Amanullah stated that the court already had a framework in mind and emphasized that the matter required examination on a pan-India basis.
During the hearing, Mehta described the disaster as horrific and conveyed deep sympathies to the victims and their families. He submitted that the Delhi High Court had acted promptly by directing the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to carry out a high-level inquiry to determine whether the structure had valid building permissions and to identify responsible officials. Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta assured that the government would extend full medical and treatment assistance to the injured victims.
The issue was brought urgently before the bench by court-appointed amicus curiae and senior advocate Ajit Kumar Sinha, who submitted a status report following a site inspection. Sinha requested court directions for a time-bound inspection and safety audit of private hostels, paying guest facilities, and student accommodations situated near colleges and universities across the national capital. He highlighted that many such operations run out of residential plots with unapproved additions and alterations, and urged that safety audits verify sanctioned plans, permissible land use, basement works, structural stability, and fire safety norms.
Law enforcement authorities have arrested the building’s owner, Hariram Gupta, alongside his wife Urmila and their son Mahesh, while the civic body suspended five officials, including the South Zone Deputy Commissioner. The apex court had earlier initiated a broader inquiry into illegal land conversions and unauthorized developments, following committee inspections that recently flagged precarious structures in areas including Saket, Saidulajab, and Lajpat Nagar.
