Delhi's student housing crisis gets a 60-day fix, 20-member panel formed
Delhi Lieutenant Governor has constituted a 20-member High-Powered Committee to address the shortage of safe, affordable and regulated student accommodation in the national capital.
The committee, chaired by the Delhi Education Minister, has been asked to submit its findings and recommendations within 60 days.
The panel includes the Chief Secretary, Delhi Police Commissioner and heads of the New Delhi Municipal Council, Municipal Corporation of Delhi and Delhi Development Authority. Officials handling Home, Revenue, Health, Urban Development, Law and Public Works will also be part of it.
Vice-chancellors of Delhi University, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Dr B R Ambedkar University Delhi, Netaji Subhas University of Technology and Delhi Technological University have also been included. The Principal Secretary for Education will serve as Member Secretary.
The committee will assess the gap between students seeking accommodation and hostel capacity available across institutions.
It will examine whether universities and public agencies can expand student housing. Vacant or under-used Delhi Development Authority housing and other government properties may also be considered for conversion into student accommodation.
The panel will identify government land where new hostels can be built and encourage universities and institutions to create safe, affordable and regulated housing. The plan will cover quick fixes and longer-term construction.ONE DATABASE TO FLAG RISKS
A centralised database of student accommodation is also on the agenda. It is expected to include institutional hostels and registered paying-guest facilities.
The panel will also work on a system for students to report unsafe conditions, overcrowding, fire hazards and violations. A digital dashboard is proposed to help authorities receive complaints, track them and coordinate action across departments.SAFETY CHECKS WILL BE PART OF THE PLAN
Fire safety and emergency preparedness will be a key part of the committee's recommendations. It will prescribe standard evacuation protocols for hostels and paying-guest facilities and suggest regular fire and disaster-management drills.
The drills could involve students, wardens and paying-guest operators, making safety preparedness part of accommodation management.
With officials from the police, fire service, health, urban development and civic agencies on the panel, the aim is to bring departments together instead of treating student housing and safety as separate issues.
The committee has 60 days to turn these proposals into a roadmap for safer student accommodation across Delhi.- EndsPublished By: Princy ShuklaPublished On: Sep 11, 2026 11:00 ISTRead | Delhi University to more than double hostel seats to 12,754 amid safety concernsRead | 38% of Satya Niketan buildings got taller in 7 years, satellite data shows
