New Delhi, September 16 (APAC Media): The Delhi government will build hostels to provide accommodation to around 10,000 college and university students across the national capital, CM Rekha Gupta announced through a video message on X.
The initiative aims to address the shortage of safe and affordable student accommodation in Delhi. The government plans to construct hostels through various departments and acquire land wherever required. It is also considering a public-private partnership (PPP) model to speed up construction and ensure proper maintenance of the facilities.
The proposed hostels will cater to both male and female students. The government will also survey colleges and universities to identify institutions with sufficient space for hostel construction and assess suitable locations across the city.
Focus on Safe and Affordable Accommodation
Gupta said students coming to Delhi from different parts of the country often face difficulties in finding safe and affordable accommodation after securing admission.
“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,” she said, stressing the need for a safe and comfortable environment where students can focus on their education and future.
Hostel projects are already underway or have been proposed at several institutions, including Ambedkar University Delhi in Dhirpur, GB Pant Engineering College and Polytechnic, Indira Gandhi Hospital and Medical College, and Delhi Sports University.
The health, higher education, and women and child development departments are among those involved in the initiative. The government is also preparing a draft hostel policy to assess student requirements and define the facilities and services to be provided.
60-Day Deadline for Student Accommodation Committee
The announcement comes in the aftermath of the Satya Niketan PG building collapse, which claimed seven lives, including five students, and prompted inspections of student accommodation facilities across Delhi.
A High-Powered Committee on Student Accommodation and Safety, chaired by Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood, has begun work on addressing the shortage of student housing and regulating private paying guest facilities.
Constituted by Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu, the committee has been given 60 days to submit its recommendations. It includes senior officials from Delhi government, police, MCD, NDMC, DDA, and fire services, along with vice-chancellors of major Delhi universities and technical institutions.
The government is yet to finalise the overall cost, construction timelines, and occupancy structure for the proposed hostels.
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