Delhi coaching centre deaths: MCD razes encroachments, acts against civic engineers

In wake of the drowning of three UPSC aspirants at an Old Rajendra Nagar coaching centre, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on Monday undertook punitive actions against the engineers responsible for maintenance in the area and started encroachment removal drives through bulldozers to reclaim the old encroached drainage lines.
MCD said that a pan-city survey is being carried out to identify properties violating basement rules even as the sealing drive against coaching centres was carried out in Nehru Vihar, Rajendra Nagar, and Mukherjee Nagar targeting six properties. Notices have been issued to more than 60 libraries in the South zone alone, MCD said.
MCD commissioner Ashwani Kumar said that the civic body is working on three fronts. “People there encroached all storm water drains which was preventing the flow of water. We are demolishing all such encroachments to recover the drain. Secondly, the action has been stepped up against basements which are illegal and a threat to safety. Three properties were sealed last night and the drive continues.”
“Thirdly, action has been taken against the maintenance engineers who are responsible for containing waterlogging. The junior engineer’s job has been terminated and the assistant engineer has been suspended,” he added. MCD has also issued a show cause notice to the executive engineer.
He said many parts of Delhi face the problem of storm water drains being covered completely and same problem was prevalent in Rajendra Nagar.
Mayor Shelly Oberoi said MCD has sealed five more centres operating in basements and identified 16 more units violating regulations. “One building of Drishti IAS Institute, three of VajiRam & Ravi IAS Hub, and one of Sriram IAS Institute were sealed for not following the rules. Apart from this, MCD officials inspected coaching centres in Shahdara South Zone. The officials have identified 16 buildings where action will be taken on Tuesday,” she added.
“MCD started its action and carried out a sealing drive in Rajinder Nagar in which 13 coaching institutes were sealed. A sealing drive was conducted in Rajinder Nagar where six coaching institutes were sealed, along with a sealing drive in the Mukherjee Nagar area,” Oberoi said. An emergency meeting was held by the mayor at Civic Centre where MCD Commissioner, PWD officials, and Delhi Jal Board officials were called. “These officials were given clear instructions that action should be taken against all such illegal coaching centres running in Delhi,” she added.
MCD has said in an official statement that notices have been served to 60 libraries and eight coaching institutes in South zone for flouting building byelaws. “MCD is also conducting a survey to identify coaching centers and other properties violating rules in basements across all zones. The basements, originally designated for parking and storage, were being misused as libraries, study areas and for other illegal activities therebycompromising safety standards.”
Commissioner said that there is coaching demand in Delhi and people from other regions come in Delhi to study. “We should also identify space for people to open coaching centres legally and formally where all services are provided. It is a requirement of the city so that illegality can be prevented.”