The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has initiated action against coaching centres flouting norms in the city, following the incident that claimed three lives due to flooding in a coaching centre's basement.
The victims, two women and a man, were civil services aspirants who became trapped inside the library of Rau's IAS Study Circle in Old Rajinder Nagar, central Delhi. The centre's single biometric entry and exit point reportedly failed due to the floodwaters.
MCD officials said a high-level committee will be established to investigate the incident and identify measures to prevent such tragedies in the future.
Establishments running illegally from the basement have been identified and a drive to take action against them has started, an official said, PTI reported.
Another official said the MCD and the Delhi government are in talks and a high-level committee will soon be will set up to look into the incident in central Delhi's Old Rajinder Nagar area.
"We have already started action against the coaching centres that are running in violation of the MCD's building bye-laws. Those misusing the basement to run commercial activities will face the action," the official said.
He added,"A gross criminal negligence is found on the part of the owner of the institute in ensuring safety measures as the library in the basement was running illegally and had only one entry and exit point that was biometric-enabled and got locked due to the flooding.
"The students could have escaped had the exit been free. The MCD only approves the building plan but if somebody misuses the basement for commercial activities after declaring it will be used for parking and storing purposes, what else can the agency do to ensure protection?"
3 Students Killed In Delhi IAS Coaching Centre Flooding
Three civil services aspirants died after the basement of a building housing a coaching centre was flooded following heavy rain in central Delhi's Old Rajinder Nagar area.
According to the Delhi Fire Department (DFS), a call about water logging was received from Rau's IAS Study Circle at around 7 pm on Saturday about the basement of the coaching institute being flooded.
The bodies of two female students and a male student were retrieved from the site during the rescue operation by the NDRF, local police and fire department.
The rescue operation was continuing past midnight. Students held a protest over the deaths of the civil services aspirants, raising slogans against authorities.
(With PTI Inputs)
