After Satya Niketan Collapse, Gurgaon NGO Offers Students Shelter, Food
Hemkunt Foundation offers free shelter and meals at Gurdwara Moti Bagh for students displaced by the deadly Satya Niketan building collapse.
In the wake of the tragic building collapse in Delhi's Satya Niketan area, a Gurgaon-based non-profit has stepped forward to assist students left without accommodation. Harteerath Singh Ahluwalia of the Hemkunt Foundation announced that Gurdwara Moti Bagh is prepared to offer both shelter and food to those affected.
"A building collapse in Satya Niketan, Delhi left students scrambling for a place to stay. If that's you- Gurdwara Moti Bagh has a bed and a hot meal waiting. No forms, no questions- just come!" Ahluwalia stated on social media platform X.
The offer comes as several Delhi University students face uncertainty following the collapse of a five-storey building that housed a boys' PG accommodation near South Campus on Sunday afternoon. The incident claimed seven lives and left several others injured.
The tragedy has cast a spotlight on the safety and regulation of student housing in the densely populated neighbourhood. Students have voiced concerns over cramped living spaces, high rents—often ranging from ₹12,000 to ₹13,000 or more—and the structural integrity of PG buildings. Some residents have reportedly been asked to vacate their accommodations, compounding the difficulties for those with limited hostel options.
In response, the Delhi government is intensifying safety inspections of PG accommodations and working on a regulatory framework that includes mandatory operating licences, police and municipal verification, CCTV cameras, visitor registers, and periodic structural audits for larger PGs.
Police have arrested property owner Urmila Gupta, her husband Hariram Gupta, and their son Mahesh Gupta, booking them on charges including culpable homicide and negligence. The labour contractor, Sanoj, has also been apprehended. Investigations revealed the building was undergoing substantial repair work when it collapsed, and the family had reportedly fled fearing legal action.
The Supreme Court has indicated it will examine the issue of PG building collapses on a pan-India basis, noting a similar incident occurred in Satya Niketan in April 2022.
Meanwhile, the Hemkunt Foundation's relief efforts are not new. The organisation has previously assisted students stranded after protests, arranged beds for hospitals in Nepal, and supported flood-affected families in Assam, consistently providing aid without asking for anything in return.