Days after seven people died in the collapse of a PG building in south Delhi’s Satya Niketan, the Delhi government has proposed a new regulatory framework for paying guest accommodations. The proposed measures include compulsory registration, rent controls, CCTV surveillance and enhanced security arrangements.
The proposed ‘Paying Guest Accommodation Regulation and Welfare Bill’ aims to bring PG accommodations in prominent education hubs such as Mukherjee Nagar, Laxmi Nagar, Rajendra Nagar and North Campus under a formal regulatory mechanism.
Under the proposed legislation, every PG in Delhi would need to register and secure an operating licence from the zoning authority within 90 days. Obtaining no-objection certificates (NOCs) from the police, municipal corporation and local administration would be part of the process.
Every registered PG would receive a unique Paying Guest Registration Number (PGRN), while information about verified accommodations would be accessible through a proposed single-window digital platform.
RENT REGULATION PROPOSED
The bill also seeks to address complaints regarding unreasonable rents and hefty security deposits.
A Rent Regulation Committee has been proposed to set area-specific rent bands for PG accommodations. Operators would be prohibited from collecting more than three months’ rent as a security deposit or demanding more than three months’ rent in advance.
Tenants would also have to be given a mandatory 30-day notice period before leaving a PG. Charging different rents based on gender, caste, religion or state of origin would be prohibited.
CCTVs, SECURITY GUARDS MANDATORY
Safety provisions are another major component of the proposed regulations.
CCTV cameras would have to be installed at all entrances and common areas, with recordings preserved for 30 days. PGs accommodating 15 or more students would be required to have security guards on duty at night.
Operators would also need to maintain visitor registers and ensure that a warden is available within a 500-metre radius.
SINGLE PORTAL FOR VERIFIED PGs
The proposed GovPG portal would feature verified PG accommodations and provide details about their rents, amenities and security provisions.
Students would have the option of submitting complaints anonymously through the portal. The government has also proposed compliance ratings for individual PGs, allowing students to evaluate accommodations before choosing one.
COLLEGES, COACHING CENTRES TO HAVE ROLE
The proposal envisages an Institutional Accommodation Committee (IAC) made up of faculty members, student representatives, police officials and municipal authorities.
These committees would conduct quarterly inspections of PG accommodations, while disputes would have to be resolved within a proposed 15-working-day period.
The framework also proposes incentives for operators with strong compliance records. PG operators maintaining satisfactory compliance for two consecutive years could qualify for property tax exemptions, easier loan access and a "Certified Student-Friendly PG" badge.
The government has also proposed seeking GST relief for compliant PG operators from the GST Council.
SAFETY CONCERNS BEHIND PROPOSAL
The proposed legislation points to several incidents and complaints as evidence of weaknesses in Delhi’s existing PG system.
These include the 2024 basement tragedy in Old Rajendra Nagar, reports of fire and safety violations in Mukherjee Nagar PGs, and complaints related to sexual harassment, hidden cameras and arbitrary electricity charges.
The proposed system is intended to establish basic safety standards, make rental arrangements more transparent and provide students living in PGs with a formal mechanism for resolving grievances.
At the same time, the proposal recognises difficulties in bringing small and informal PG operators under regulation, securing NOCs from several agencies, managing a centralised portal and establishing rent bands tailored to different areas.
ABOUT SATYA NIKETAN BUILDING COLLAPSE
A five-storey building housing a boys’ PG collapsed in Satya Niketan, a busy commercial area near Delhi University’s South Campus, while repair work was being carried out in its basement.
A 27-hour rescue operation involving the NDRF, Delhi Police, fire services and other agencies concluded on Monday evening after 12 people were pulled from the debris. Seven people died and five were injured.
The collapse has since prompted action against the building’s owners and operators, along with investigations into alleged construction and safety violations in the area.
Five people have been arrested in connection with the incident so far: building owner Hari Ram Gupta, his wife Urmila Gupta, their son Mahesh Gupta, labour contractor Sanoj and PG operator Sudhanshu. Another PG operator, Shubham Tyagi, remains absconding.
As a precautionary measure, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has also started demolishing buildings adjoining the collapsed structure. Officials are using hammers to remove the upper floors, with the demolition being carried out in phases after neighbouring buildings were found to pose potential safety risks.
Nearby PG accommodations had previously been evacuated after cracks and signs of structural instability were reported following the collapse.
