"Delhi govt reviewing PG regulation, student safety; DU hostels to be redesigned": Delhi Minister Sood
New Delhi, September 15
Delhi Urban Development Minister Ashish Sood on Tuesday said a committee comprising representatives from various administrative bodies, including the police, MCD, DDA and universities, is examining measures to regulate PG accommodations and improve their management.
"A committee comprising representatives from various administrative bodies, such as the police, MCD, DDA, and universities, was constituted to determine how to regulate PG accommodations and improve their management. Today, we held discussions with all the concerned officials regarding the proper functioning of PG facilities and coaching institutes. We addressed issues such as structural and fire safety, as well as students' mental health and general security concerns. Certain departments have been tasked with creating a portal to compile a database in this regard. The government will soon take initiatives to expand facilities so that students coming from outside can be accommodated." Sood told reporters.
He added that the government would soon take initiatives to expand facilities so that students coming from outside can be accommodated.
"The government has already relaxed several provisions in the Master Plan. Delhi University (DU) hostels will be redesigned. We are studying how to better utilise our available land parcels under the new Master Plan, including the potential increase in Floor Space Index (FSI). I met with the Vice-Chancellor earlier today and instructed them to assess-within a week-how much built-up area can be created under the new Master Plan, and how this space can be allocated between academic blocks and hostels. Serious deliberations are underway regarding these matters, as well as fire safety compliance for existing facilities," Sood added.
His remarks come as he chaired the first meeting on Tuesday comprising of a 20-member high-powered committee set up to address the shortage of student accommodation and improve safety standards across the capital.
The panel, headed by Sood, has been given 60 days to submit its recommendations. It includes senior officials from the Delhi government, Delhi Police, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, New Delhi Municipal Council and Delhi Development Authority, as well as representatives from several universities.
Sood said the Delhi government was committed to creating a safe and secure environment for students while developing a practical and balanced regulatory framework.
The committee's work comes as student accommodation remains a pressing issue in Delhi, particularly for students arriving from outside the city to study at its universities and higher education institutions. The government said its approach would focus on making accommodation safer, more accessible and more responsive to the needs of students.
— ANI
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