The Delhi government will build hostels to provide accommodation to 10,000 students studying in colleges and universities in the Capital, chief minister Rekha Gupta announced on Tuesday, as a new high-powered committee began work on addressing the shortage of student housing and regulating private paying guest (PG) facilities.
The facilities will cater to both male and female students, while the government is also exploring the public-private partnership (PPP) model to expedite construction and ensure maintenance. “Students should not have to worry about where they will stay, what the living environment will be like or how food arrangements will be made. The government plans to survey colleges and universities with adequate space for hostel construction and identify suitable locations. The health, higher education, and women and child development departments, among others, will be involved in the initiative. The committee was constituted by Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu to examine the shortage of student housing, safety standards and regulation of accommodation facilities. The committee will also examine mandatory structural audits, fire-safety checks, emergency evacuation procedures and regular mock drills for operators and students. A centralised digital grievance mechanism is proposed to enable students to report overcrowding, safety hazards and other violations. Round-the-clock security will be ensured through CCTV surveillance and biometric entry systems.
The move coincided with the first meeting of the 20-member High-Powered Committee on Student Accommodation and Safety, chaired by Delhi education minister Ashish Sood. Earlier reporting noted: An official said hostels would have essential facilities, including Wi-Fi, 24-hour electricity and water supply, study rooms, libraries and hygienic messes. They should have access to a safe and comfortable environment so that they can fully focus on their studies, their future and their dreams,” Gupta said.
Gupta said hostels would be constructed through various government departments, with land acquired wherever necessary. Gupta said Delhi attracts students from across the country, and arranging safe and affordable accommodation after securing admission remained a major challenge for many. Hostel projects are already under way or have been proposed at institutions including Ambedkar University Delhi in Dhirpur, GB Pant Engineering College and Polytechnic, Indira Gandhi Hospital and Medical College, and Delhi Sports University, the government said. Meetings are under way and a draft hostel policy is also being prepared to identify students’ requirements and the facilities to be provided, officials said. The total cost, timelines and occupancy structure are “still being worked out”, they added. Sood said the government was committed to creating a safe environment for students through a “practical and balanced regulatory system”. Earlier reporting noted: Safe stay: Govt plans hostels for 10,000 students New Delhi: Days after the Satya Niketan tragedy, chief minister Rekha Gupta Tuesday announced that Delhi govt would construct hostels for 10,000 students to “provide them a safe, supportive place to stay, so they can study with peace of mind and move closer to the future they came here to build”. These hostels will be made for girls as well as boys from any university,” Gupta said, adding that hostels are required for making Delhi a big education hub. The scope of the initiative will be expanded as per the growing need, chief minister’s office said. Fire safety measures and regular structural audits will be accorded the highest priority to ensure a safe and secure living environment for students, the official said.
Earlier reporting noted: “Lakhs of students come to Delhi for study; they get admission but not hostels… (They) will be provided safe and economic accommodation.
