Rescue underway a day after building collapsed at Satya Niketan in New Delhi on Monday. (EXPRESS PHOTO BY PRAVEEN KHANNA)A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in the Delhi High Court has sought an independent probe into Sunday’s building collapse at Satya Niketan that killed 7 people, including an examination of whether structural alterations weakened the five-storey building that housed a private hostel.The PIL, filed by Delhi University law student Aniket Kumar Gupta, has also sought an immediate safety audit of private paying guest and hostel accommodations in Satya Niketan, arguing that the incident points to wider safety concerns in buildings housing thousands of students.The PIL was listed for hearing before the bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia.Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the MCD, said the bench has issued notice to respondent parties which includes the Delhi government, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Delhi University and Delhi Police.Also Read | Delhi hostel owner arrested over building collapse that killed 7The PIL has sought urgent medical care to the affected students, as well as Rs 1 crore compensation to the families of the deceased.It also sought appropriate compensation for those injured, safe relocation of students from unsafe premises, and preservation of crucial evidence.The plea also sought a probe into the premises and if it had valid approvals and building plan sanctions, and whether it was being lawfully used as a paying guest/hostel facility.Story continues below this adGupta reasoned, “The tragedy is not confined to one building alone but highlights a larger systemic issue affecting thousands of students residing in private accommodations in areas such as Satya Niketan, Vijay Nagar, Kamla Nagar, Mukherjee Nagar, Gandhi Vihar, Nehru Vihar, Hudson Lane, Gurmandi, Karol Bagh, Old Rajendra Nagar, Laxmi Nagar and other student clusters in Delhi, where numerous old and altered buildings are being used for residential purposes without transparent structural and safety assessment mechanisms.”Also Read | First big action after Delhi hostel collapse: 5 MCD officials suspendedHis plea added, “The tragedy cannot be treated merely as an unfortunate accident or an unavoidable act of nature when the material circumstances indicate that repair/renovation/construction-related work was allegedly being undertaken immediately before the collapse.”“The precise cause of the collapse, including the possibility of structural alteration, excavation, weakening of foundation/load-bearing elements or other unsafe construction activity, requires an independent scientific and forensic investigation,” the PIL emphasised.Sohini Ghosh is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express. Previously based in Ahmedabad covering Gujarat, she recently moved to the New Delhi bureau, where she primarily covers legal developments at the Delhi High Court Professional Profile Background: An alumna of the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), she previously worked with ET NOW before joining The Indian Express. Core Beats: Her reporting is currently centered on the Delhi High Court, with a focus on high-profile constitutional disputes, disputes over intellectual property, criminal and civil cases, issues of human rights and regulatory law (especially in the areas of technology and healthcare). Earlier Specialty: In Gujarat, she was known for her rigorous coverage in the beats of crime, law and policy, and social justice issues, including the 2002 riot cases, 2008 serial bomb blast case, 2016 flogging of Dalits in Una, among others. She has extensively covered health in the state, including being part of the team that revealed the segregation of wards at the state’s largest government hospital on lines of faith in April 2020. With Ahmedabad being a UNESCO heritage city, she has widely covered urban development and heritage issues, including the redevelopment of the Sabarmati Ashram Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reporting from the Delhi High Court covers major political, constitutional, corporate, and public-interest legal battles: High-Profile Case Coverage She has extensively covered the various legal battles - including for compensation under the aegis of North East Delhi Riots Claims Commission - pertaining to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, as well as 1984 anti-Sikh riots. She has also led coverage at the intersection of technology and governance, and its impact on the citizenry, from, and beyond courtrooms — such as the government’s stakeholder consultations for framing AI-Deepfake policy. Signature Style Sohini is recognized for her sustained reporting from courtrooms and beyond. She specialises in breaking down dense legal arguments to make legalese accessible for readers. Her transition from Gujarat to Delhi has seen her expand her coverage on regulatory, corporate and intellectual property law, while maintaining a strong commitment to human rights and lacuna in the criminal justice system. X (Twitter): @thanda_ghosh ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on InstagramTags:Delhi news