New Delhi

Actor Sonu Sood on Tuesday called for safe and affordable accommodation for students in cities, in the wake of the Satya Niketan building collapse in Delhi that claimed seven lives and raised questions over construction and safety compliance.

Sood said lakhs of students leave their homes every year to pursue their dreams in another city, but stressed the need to ensure that they have safe places to live.

“Every year, lakhs of students leave their homes to chase a dream in another city. But are we giving them a safe place to live?” Sood said in a post.

He pointed out that around seven lakh students are enrolled in Delhi, while hostel capacity is barely 30,000, meaning only around one in 31 students gets access to a hostel.

“In Delhi, around 7 lakh students are enrolled, while hostel capacity is barely 30,000 -- just 1 in 31 gets a hostel. Why not identify vacant government land around universities and allow/build safe, affordable student hostels there? Universities could also be given additional building permissions to create more on-campus accommodation,” he added. 

Sood suggested identifying vacant government land around universities and allowing or building safe and affordable student hostels on such land. He also proposed giving universities additional building permissions to create more on-campus accommodation.

“Students get safety. Parents get peace of mind. Universities and governments generate revenue. And, most importantly, we protect lives. Sometimes, a small change in policy can protect someone’s biggest dream,” he shared. 

The Satya Niketan building collapse triggered a large-scale rescue operation and raised questions over construction and safety compliance. The death toll in the incident has risen to seven, while 12 people have been rescued, according to Delhi Police.

Meanwhile, the Duty Magistrate of Patiala House on Monday night remanded Mahesh Gupta to two days' police custody. 

His parents, Hariram Gupta and Urmila Gupta, have been remanded to judicial custody. They were produced at the residence of the duty magistrate late at night. 

They have been arrested in connection with the Satya Niketan Building collapse case in which seven people lost their lives after a five-storey building collapsed on September 6.

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Duty Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Bhavya Karhail passed the order of remand after hearing the submissions of Delhi police and defence counsel Yashpal Singh.

According to Delhi Police, the building’s electricity connection was in Hariram Gupta’s name, while his son was handling its management. The property was registered in the name of Hariram’s wife, Urmila Gupta.