Following the deaths of three UPSC aspirants due to basement flooding at Rau’s IAS coaching institute in Delhi’s Old Rajinder Nagar, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) sealed seven properties, including three basements, on Sunday for violating building bye-laws in the Karol Bagh Zone.
“We have identified eight coaching centers functioning in basements and sealed three of them,” said Tariq Thomas, Additional MCD Commissioner.
Thomas said that a magisterial inquiry has been ordered into the drowning incident, and the government will provide compensation to the families of the deceased students.
“The property owner has been found to be in violation of building bye-laws regarding the use of the basement,” an MCD press release said. According to the MCD, the basement was approved for parking and storage, but not as a library or reading hall. The coaching center where the incident occurred lacked a fire clearance, the release said.
A plea has been submitted to the Delhi High Court seeking immediate directives for the MCD to implement preventive measures against such occurrences.
Filed by the NGO Hindu Rashtriya Pravasi Manch, the plea calls for an independent inquiry to establish accountability, holding the MCD, Rao IAS Study Centre, and the Delhi Government responsible for the lapses.
It also demands adequate compensation for the victims’ families and the injured, along with regular inspections to ensure compliance with safety regulations across educational institutions and commercial establishments.
(With ANI input)