By Chandan Singh | Page 3 News Worldwide | New Delhi 

New Delhi: Delhi Urban Development Minister Ashish Sood has announced that the government will introduce a comprehensive policy to regulate Paying Guest (PG) accommodations within the next one to two months, following the tragic building collapse in Satya Niketan.

Sood made the announcement while interacting with a delegation of university students, including NSS volunteers, living in PG facilities and rented accommodation at the Delhi Secretariat. The meeting was convened to gather first-hand feedback on student housing conditions and safety concerns following the incident.

The proposed “Paying Guest Accommodation Regulation and Safety Bill, 2026” is expected to make operating licences mandatory for PGs and introduce zone-wise rent bands, structural and fire safety audits, and a central GovPG portal providing information on rents, facilities and safety compliance.

“The tragic incident has forced us to speed up the implementation of the Justice Gauba Committee report and frame a policy that addresses everyone’s concerns,” Sood said.

Students raised concerns over a lack of transparency in PG operations, non-compliance with rental agreements, inflated electricity charges and inadequate safety inspections. They also called for a dedicated digital platform through which PG operators would be required to disclose rents, meal plans, facilities and structural safety details.

Sood said the government was examining a legal mechanism to ensure that tenancy agreements between landlords and students are properly enforceable.

The government is also considering measures to expand student accommodation by allowing universities and institutions to increase hostel capacity through higher Floor Area Ratio (FAR) limits. Vacant government properties, including unused buildings in Narela, could also be converted into secure student hostels, with direct bus connectivity being explored.

The minister said private participation and central government assistance would also be considered to bridge the shortage of student housing.

“We will also speak with PG managements, parents and civic agencies to understand their concerns regarding water, the municipal corporation and the electricity department, and figure out how we can regulate them,” Sood said.

Sood said discussions had already taken place in a joint meeting with Delhi Lieutenant Governor Sardar Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. He said the proposed policy would be finalised after consultations with stakeholders and Cabinet deliberations before being placed before the public.

The government has also ordered one-week structural audits across major student hubs, including South Campus and Mukherjee Nagar, while plans to expand hostel FAR limits are being pursued.

Targeting the Opposition over criticism of the Satya Niketan tragedy, Sood accused AAP leaders of politicising the incident and spreading rumours. He said the government’s priority was systematic reform, student safety and accountability rather than political finger-pointing.