Portal to be launched, sub-committee formed to monitor, regulate PGs in Delhi

To examine any relaxation in setting up authorised paying guest (PG) facilities in group housing societies and student hubs, the Delhi government has set up a sub-committee. The decision was taken during a meeting of a high-powered committee chaired by Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood on Thursday that was formed after a five-storey building collapsed at Satya Niketan, killing seven people, including five Delhi University students, on September 6.

Key decisions made during the meeting also included creation of a centralised web portal to capture “student location and accommodation data”.

“The portal will remain simple during its initial rollout to collect essential details such as room counts and basic amenities without causing panic among operators,” officials said on Thursday.

Initial tests and a dry run are expected to be completed in four days, followed by an official government campaign for student registration.

The sub-committee has been set up to examine possible relaxations in the Master Plan for Delhi (MPD)-2047 and the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957. “The focus is to explore whether relaxations can be granted within a 5-6 km radius of major educational hubs as well as in group housing societies and RWA areas to enable legal, safe PG operations,” an official statement by Sood’s office read.

The sub-committee would be constituted by officials from the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), the Delhi government, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and DU Vice-Chancellor, officials said.

Major student hubs like Satya Niketan, Mukherjee Nagar, and Ber Sarai face an acute shortage of official university hostels.

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Urban planners earlier told this newspaper that thousands of students rely on private accommodations in residential areas, as existing framework makes legal operations difficult with land-use rules among others limiting commercialised or multi-tenant boarding activities in residential zones, making way for PG accommodations to mushroom informally or illegally.

“…we will soon bring PG regulations and laws to streamline this system,” said Sood.

“We will be launching the portal very soon so that it is known where children are living, enabling us to regulate the facilities. Where issues are arising in legal operations due to restrictions in the Master Plan and DMC Act, the sub-committee will sit to study that … We are committed to providing safe and affordable housing, and we are working rapidly toward it,” Sood added.

The regulatory draft for the proposed Paying Guest Accommodation Regulation and Safety Bill, 2026 would be finalised in two weeks time, with the high-powered panel set to reconvene after October 20, officials said.

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Thursday’s meeting also saw recommendations on enhanced CCTV surveillance at PGs. “..Future regulations should mandate CCTV coverage with 40-45 days of recording backup at all entry points, exit points, and common areas of PG accommodations, while keeping personal spaces private,” said the statement. It added that on-ground joint inspection to review safety standards and legal compliance at around 100 PGs is underway by the MCD and the DDA.

Sophiya Mathew is a Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in New Delhi. She joined the Delhi bureau in 2024, and has specialization in Integrated Multimedia Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai. Professional Background Core Beats: Her reporting is primarily focused on the Environment and Education. Specialization: She has gained recognition for her ground-level reporting on the Yamuna floodplains and the socio-economic challenges faced by those living on its banks. She also focuses on the disparities in Delhi's education system, ranging from elite private schools to government institutions and refugee education. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) Her recent work has been heavily centered on Delhi's severe winter pollution crisis and the government's regulatory responses: 1. The Air Pollution Crisis "A tale of two cities: Delhi govt schools choke in bad air, private classrooms set up air filters" (Dec 20, 2025): A high-impact feature contrasting the "Clean Air Bubbles" in elite schools with the reality of government school students who are exposed to an equivalent of 17 cigarettes a day due to outdoor exposure. "Delhi sees season's worst air day, second worst December AQI in nearly a decade" (Dec 15, 2025): An analytical report on the meteorological patterns trapping pollutants in the NCR. "Delhi bans non-BS VI vehicles from outside: Why curbing vehicular pollution is key" (Dec 17, 2025): Explaining the science behind targeting specific vehicle vintages to lower particulate matter. 2. Enforcement & Regulations "No fuel at pumps in Delhi without valid PUC certificate from December 18" (Dec 17, 2025): Breaking the news on the environment ministry's strict "No PUC, No Fuel" policy. 3. Education Policy "Law to regulate school fee in Delhi risks becoming procedural, say parents" (Dec 13, 2025): Investigating the loopholes in the new Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025. "Monsoon Session: Private school fee regulation Bill cleared after four-hour debate" (Aug 9, 2025): Covering the legislative passage of the controversial fee hike regulation. Signature Style Sophiya is known for her observational depth. Her reporting often includes vivid details from school corridors, hospital waitlists, or the banks of the Yamuna to illustrate how policy failures affect the city's most vulnerable residents. She is a frequent expert guest on the 3 Things podcast, where she explains the complexities of Delhi’s environmental laws. X (Twitter): @SophiyaMathew1 ... Read More

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