The five-storey building collapsed in Satya Niketan on Sunday in Delhi.

The building was undergoing basement repairs; the PG building was 40-50 years old.

A Delhi PG building collapsed while undergoing basement repairs. While repair work was going on, the building structure came crashing down. Most of the residents were students staying in the PG.

Now, people in the surrounding area are more concerned about the building’s construction and people’s safety. Rescue teams are searching the rubble as concerns grow over ageing PG buildings in the area.

 Delhi Police said, ANI reported. The building, used as a student paying guest accommodation, had a basement and five upper floors. At least two people were killed in the collapse, while more than a few others were feared trapped under the rubble. Seven people have so far been rescued and shifted to hospitals.

The collapse has also brought fresh scrutiny to how student PG accommodations operate in Satya Niketan, a locality near Delhi University’s South Campus where residential buildings have been extensively converted into hostels and paying guest amenities.

The building has one floor with four rooms, with 10 beds. Students living in and around Satya Niketan told India Today that PG accommodations in the area often house a huge number of students within quite small spaces.

 Several students who spoke to India Today described how these accommodations function, including the number of rooms and beds, the rent charged and the condition of the buildings they live in.

Residents said they heard a loud crash after what one witness described as a “sudden tremor”. Numerous people rushed out of nearby buildings and joined rescue efforts, using their hands and whatever tools were accessible to clear the rubble.

One resident told PTI that the ground seemed to vibrate before people realised that the building had collapsed. Delhi Police has filed an FIR against the building’s owner, Anand Bansal, a resident of Gurugram.

The search and rescue operation continues as teams continue to look for people who might still be trapped under the collapsed building.