New Delhi: The Satya Niketan building collapse, just a few steps from Delhi University’s South Campus, has left students worried about where they should stay and how.Monday, students marched from the arts faculty to the VC’s office, holding up banners that said, “200 acres of land is lying vacant, yet no hostel for students.” Another read, “Provide accommodation to students. It is our right.”Students’ organisations such as Disha, All India Democratic Students Organisation (AIDSO), Students Federation of India (SFI) and Krantanikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS) also participated in the march. Anger over the lack of affordable and safe accommodation is what brought the students out to the protest.For Himantri, the tragedy hit close to home. Her hostel is next to the building that collapsed. “It is frightening to see something like this happen next door. It is not as if students do not pay rent. Many of us are paying as much as Rs 20,000 for a room, yet our lives remain at risk. Even my building is very old. This is not just about what happened to these students. We need to ensure no one else suffers the same fate,” she said.Tarunima, who lives with her family in Delhi, said she joined the march out of concern for her friends who live in paying guest acommodations or PGs. “My friend lives in a PG and it is pathetic… It feels so wrong that so many students have no safe option,” she said.Chiranshu, another protester, said students were demanding immediate compensation for the victims and a serious rethink of the university’s hostel policy. “This is not the first such incident. Hostels are available to only around 3.5% of students. Most of them are meant for boys, while some hostels are also closed. Where are the rest of the students supposed to go?” he said.Students alleged that the Satya Niketan tragedy reflected a larger failure of enforcement, with illegal construction, alleged collusion among landlords, builders and authorities, and violations of safety norms putting lives at risk. For them, however, the problem begins much earlier. Why are DU students being pushed into expensive PGs and flats in the first place?They said areas such as Kamla Nagar, Vijay Nagar and Satya Niketan have become hubs for students looking for accommodation, often leaving students dependent on ageing or poorly maintained buildings.They demanded that DU immediately reopen hostels that have remained closed for years and use its available land to build more accommodation. They also called for affordable student housing and regular safety audits of buildings in student-dominated areas.The Satya Niketan collapse has triggered protests beyond the campus. ABVP held a late-night protest Sunday and entered the MCD office, demanding the commissioner’s resignation.On Monday, ABVP held protests and sit-ins across several Delhi University colleges, demanding accountability and stronger student safety measures. Demonstrations were held at Hansraj College, Hindu College, Kirori Mal College, Ramjas College, Shaheed Bhagat Singh College and several other campuses. The ABVP demanded a high-level probe into the building collapse, strict action against negligent PG operators, building owners and officials, and immediate structural and safety audits.ABVP national general secretary Dr Virendra Singh Solanki said: “No student in Delhi should ever risk his life by living in an unsafe building.”
