Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi has issued a stern warning against illegal coaching centres after the tragic deaths of three students at a coaching institute in Old Rajinder Nagar due to severe waterlogging. On Monday, Oberoi stated that she promptly visited the site upon learning of the incident and vowed that no illegally operating centres would be spared.
“Three students lost their lives after their coaching institute’s basement was inundated with rainwater on July 27. Upon receiving the news, I immediately went to the location, assessed the situation, and wrote to the MCD Commissioner to ensure action is taken against coaching centres in Delhi that are operating without proper authorization or not adhering to MCD regulations,” said the Delhi Mayor.
In response, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) initiated a sealing drive in Rajinder Nagar, where 13 coaching centres were sealed. A subsequent drive resulted in the sealing of six more institutes. Additional drives were conducted in Mukherjee Nagar, leading to the termination of a Junior Engineer and the suspension of an Assistant Engineer. “We will not spare any illegal coaching centres,” Oberoi emphasized.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has established a high-level committee to investigate the basement flooding incident at the coaching institute, which resulted in the deaths of three civil service aspirants: Shreya Yadav from Uttar Pradesh, Nivin Dalwin from Kerala, and Tanya Soni from Telangana. The committee will review the circumstances, identify those responsible, and recommend preventative measures.
The incident occurred on Saturday night after a nearby drain burst, flooding the basement library of Rau’s IAS Study Circle. The coaching centre has since been sealed by the police. The flooding reportedly compromised the single biometric entry and exit point, contributing to the tragedy.
