A magisterial enquiry report, submitted by Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar to Revenue Minister Atishi, has revealed serious safety violations at Rau’s Study Circle coaching center in Old Rajinder Nagar, where three civil services aspirants tragically lost their lives in a basement flood. The report found that the coaching center had completely blocked the drainage system and failed to implement additional safeguards to prevent flooding, directly contributing to the tragic deaths. The report states that the parking access to the institute is directly exposed to the road and during heavy rain, water enters the parking area instead of flowing into the stormwater drain.
In response to the report’s findings, immediate action has been taken against officials responsible for the area’s drainage system. The Assistant Engineer (M-1)/KBZ has been suspended, and the services of the Junior Engineer (M-1)/KBZ have been terminated. The report further notes that the Executive Engineer (M-1) has been issued a show-cause notice to explain their role in the incident.
The tragic incident occurred on the evening of July 27 when heavy rain caused the basement of Rau’s IAS Study Circle coaching institute to flood, claiming the lives of three IAS aspirants: Shreya Yadav from Uttar Pradesh, Tanya Soni from Telangana, and Nevin Dalwin from Kerala.
Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court has agreed to hear a plea on Wednesday seeking the constitution of a high-level committee to investigate the incident.
In the wake of the tragedy, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has launched a three-pronged action plan. MCD Commissioner Ashwani Kumar acknowledged the widespread problem of poorly secured, illegally run coaching centers across Delhi and assured that the MCD will address the issue with a sealing drive targeting such institutes.
The MCD’s action plan includes:
1.
Demolishing encroachments on stormwater drains:
The MCD has demolished encroachments on both sides of the road that were blocking the stormwater drains, leading to waterlogging and hindering desilting efforts.2.
Sealing illegal coaching centers:
The MCD has stepped up the sealing of basements used by illegally operating coaching institutes that pose a threat to the safety and security of students.3.
