Basement Deaths: MCD Shuts Down 13 ‘Illegal’ Coaching Centres
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New Delhi: Students stage a protest over the death of three civil services aspirants after the basement of a coaching centre was flooded by rainwater, in New Delhi, Sunday, July 28, 2024. (PTI Photo/Kamal Singh)
New Delhi: In response to the tragic deaths of three UPSC aspirants caused by basement flooding at Rau’s IAS coaching institute in Old Rajendra Nagar, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has sealed the basements of 13 Civil Services coaching centres.
This decisive move against properties violating building regulations follows the tragic incident on Saturday evening, which sparked widespread student protests in the Old Rajendra Nagar area.
Tariq Thomas, Additional Commissioner of the MCD, stated, “We initiated action this evening. Three basements hosting coaching centres have been shut down, and further measures will be taken in the coming days. The government has launched an inquiry.”
Aishe Ghosh, former JNU president, told ANI, “We arrived in Old Rajendra Nagar shortly after hearing about the incident. One of the deceased students was a PhD holder from JNU. This incident is deeply shocking. Many students travel long distances to study here, and there are inadequate facilities for them. It’s a very sad situation.”
Students continued their protests into the early hours of Monday, demanding justice and appropriate government action.
Here is the list of 13 coaching centres that came under the MCD’s scrutiny:
- 1. Topper’s Academy
- 2. IAS Gurukul
- 3. Career Power
- 4. Sai Trading
- 5. Vidya Guru
- 6. Civils Daily IAS
- 7. Chahal Academy
- 8. 99 Notes
- 9. Dainik Samvad
- 10. IAS Setu
- 11. Guidance IAS
- 12. Easy for IAS
- 13. Plutus Academy
On Saturday, three UPSC aspirants—Shreya Yadav from Ambedkar Nagar, Uttar Pradesh; Tanya Soni from Telangana; and Nivin Dalwin from Ernakulam, Kerala—lost their lives after a library in the basement of Rau’s IAS centre flooded due to heavy rainfall. The incident reportedly caused the failure of the single biometric entry and exit point at the coaching centre.
According to police reports, approximately 30 students were in the coaching centre at the time. Between 12 and 14 students were rescued and taken to a hospital, while the remaining students managed to escape on their own.
Tragic Incident at Delhi Coaching Centre
The city was struck by tragedy as three civil service aspirants died following a basement flooding incident at the Rau’s IAS Study Circle coaching centre in Rajinder Nagar, Delhi. The deceased have been identified as Tania Soni, Shreya Yadav, both 25, and Navin Delvin, 28. They perished when torrential rains inundated the basement, where they had sought refuge in the centre’s library.
Violations of Building Regulations
The basement, which was supposed to be used strictly for parking and storage according to the No-Objection Certificate (NOC) issued by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) in August 2021, was in direct violation of the stipulated usage. The NOC stated, “The basement was designated for parking and household storage, not as a library or any other commercial purpose.”
Fire Safety and Building Bye-laws
The fire department’s recent NOC, granted earlier this month, confirmed that the building met fire safety regulations. However, it underscored that the basement’s usage was to be in strict adherence to building bye-laws, which stipulate that a basement used for commercial purposes must have multiple exit routes and proper drainage to prevent flooding. In the case of the Rau’s IAS Study Circle, only a single exit was available, exacerbating the risk during the emergency.
Legal Actions and Arrests
The tragic incident has led to the arrest of the coaching centre’s owner and coordinator. Police have registered a case under charges including culpable homicide not amounting to murder and death due to negligence.
Government Response and Investigation
Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi has ordered a comprehensive probe to determine if any MCD officials were complicit in the negligence. She has also announced that all coaching centres found violating regulations will face stringent action.
Public Outrage and Protests
The incident has sparked widespread outrage among students and the public, who have blamed civic negligence for the tragedy. Protests erupted, with students accusing local authorities of failing to address longstanding drainage issues that could have prevented the incident.
Political Fallout
A political clash has ensued, with the BJP accusing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which controls the Delhi government and MCD, of failing to act on complaints about inadequate drainage.
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