New bill, structural audits: Actions Delhi is taking post-PG collapse
What's the story
The Delhi government is planning to bring in a new bill for PG accommodations after the Satya Niketan building collapse killed seven people. The "Paying Guest Accommodation Regulation and Safety Bill, 2026" seeks mandatory registration for PG operators. It also proposes police verification, a no-objection certificate (NOC), and municipal clearance covering structural and fire safety, HT reported.
Unregulated sector
200,000 unregistered PGs in Delhi
The draft acknowledges challenges, including limited enforcement capacity, bringing informal PGs into the regulatory system, and resistance to rent controls but suggests phased enforcement and a single-window system to coordinate the multiple clearances required.
The proposal estimates that around 200,000 PG accommodations are operating across Mukherjee Nagar, Laxmi Nagar, and Rajendra Nagar without any records maintained by authorities, describing the PG sector as a "housing market operating largely without a regulatory framework."
Doc
What survey found after 2023 fire
The document outlines various examples to highlight the need for regulations.
It cites a survey after a fire incident in Mukherjee Nagar in September 2023, which found numerous PG units violating building bylaws.
The survey found 104 PG units operating in violation of building bylaws, while only one of the surveyed establishments had a Delhi Fire Services NOC.
The proposed security standards include CCTV cameras, security guards, and visitor registers but lack minimum standards for fire preparedness, experts say.
Minister's statement
'What will norms do if ....'
"What will norms do if you don't have adequate equipment and mechanisms to implement them? There are multiple agencies in Delhi, how will they implement these norms without the police being under their control. You need to chalk out a holistic plan, one that takes into account the pros and cons of the system, the multiplication of agencies and how there has been an overexpansion," HT quoted Jagdish Mamgain, urban planning expert and former MCD works committee chairman, as saying.
Registration and rent
New licensing system and government portal
The proposed bill mandates every PG to obtain a "PG operating license" within 90 days from local zone authorities.
Registered establishments will be listed on a government portal called GovPG, which will provide details such as occupancy and audit dates.
The bill also proposes zone-wise rent bands determined by a Rent Regulation Committee based on market rates and amenities.
Security and incentives
Security deposits capped at 3 months' rent
Under the proposed law, security deposits would be capped at three months' rent and returned within 30 days, except in cases of documented misconduct.
PGs would have to install CCTV cameras at entrances and common areas.
Facilities with 15 or more students would require a licensed night security guard between 10pm and 6am.
Compliant operators could get property-tax rebates, easier loans for safety upgrades, and recognition as "Certified Student-Friendly PG."
LG
Structural audits of all buildings in PG hubs within week
In the immediate aftermath, Lieutenant Governor Sardar Taranjit Singh Sandhu ordered structural audits of all buildings in PG hubs within a week after chairing a meeting with CM Rekha Gupta and Urban Development Minister Ashish Sood.
The inspections will focus particularly on buildings that prima facie appear to have violated height and floor restrictions. However, he cautioned against "mindless sealing drives."
The administration also stated that it was exploring the potential of extending student accommodation beyond the limited hostel facilities.