India, Sept. 11 -- Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu has approved an 18-member high-powered committee to review the availability, safety and regulation of student accommodation in the Capital, officials aware of the matter said on Thursday.

The committee, headed by education and urban development minister Ashish Sood, will assess the gap between demand and availability of hostel accommodation, examine vacant and under-utilised government properties for student housing, and recommend measures to improve safety standards in hostels and paying guest (PG) facilities.

The move follows directions issued by the LG at a September 7 meeting with chief minister Rekha Gupta and Sood after the Satya Niketan building collapse. The meeting fo...