Lease clause denying liability exposed after Delhi PG building collapse kills seven

Seven people died when the five-storey Satya Niketan structure, operating as a private paying-guest hostel near Delhi University's South Campus, collapsed. A tenancy agreement obtained from occupants shows the hostel explicitly refused liability for personal injury, loss of belongings, or damage arising from fire, heavy rain, earthquakes, sealing or other natural calamities. The document’s wording has intensified calls to examine how private PGs manage safety and allocate responsibility.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi had previously flagged the building as an unauthorized G+4 construction in a zone permitted only for a G+1. The Delhi High Court, concerned about student safety, ordered an audit of PGs and hostels and sought data from Delhi University on out-of-state student accommodation. The incident highlights gaps in building compliance, oversight of private student housing, and the enforceability of such liability clauses.