Delhi IAS Coaching Centre tragedy: List of 13 'illegal' coaching centres sealed by MCD in Old Rajinder Nagar

Digital Desk: In the wake of a sudden flooding incident that claimed the lives of three students at an IAS coaching centre in Delhi, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has taken swift action. The civic body sealed 13 coaching centres in the Old Rajinder Nagar area on Sunday for violating building rules by conducting commercial activities in basements.

A team from the MCD inspected several coaching centres in the area, identifying those that were in breach of regulations. Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi announced the enforcement actions and emphasized the need for compliance with building bye-laws to prevent such tragedies.

"After yesterday's tragic incident, MCD has started the process of sealing all the coaching centres in Rajinder Nagar that were violating rules in the basement! If necessary, this campaign will be run all over Delhi!," Mayor Oberoi stated on X.

The following coaching centres were sealed for unauthorized use of basements:

1. IAS Gurukul

2. Chahal Academy

3. Plutus Academy

4. Sai Trading

5. IAS Setu

6. Topper’s Academy

7. Dainik Samwad

8. Civil’s Daily IAS

9. Career Power

10. 99 Notes

11. Vidya Guru

12. Guidance IAS

13. Easy for IAS

Earlier today, Mayor Oberoi directed the MCD Commissioner to take stringent action against all coaching centres operating commercially in basements across Delhi. This directive came in response to the tragic flooding at Rau's IAS Study Circle, where three Civil Service aspirants—two females and a male—lost their lives. The basement, which housed a library, was found to lack a proper drainage system, and the centre did not have the required permission to operate a library in the basement.

Mayor Oberoi also called for an immediate inquiry to determine if any MCD officials were culpable in the incident. "If any official is found guilty, the strongest possible action will be taken against them," she said in an earlier statement.

The MCD has faced criticism for its failure to enforce building norms effectively in the capital. Activists from the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) staged a protest outside the Mayor's residence on Sunday, holding her accountable for the students' deaths.

This incident is not the first of its kind. Last year, following a massive fire at an IAS coaching institute in Mukherjee Nagar, a survey was initiated to identify coaching centres violating building rules. However, the enforcement action was reportedly halted midway.

In May, the Delhi High Court ordered the MCD and the Delhi Development Authority to shut down coaching centres operating in violation of fire safety norms. Despite this directive, the lack of enforcement persisted, leading to the recent tragedy.

The MCD's renewed crackdown on coaching centres is a crucial step towards ensuring safety and adherence to building regulations, aiming to prevent future incidents and protect the lives of students.