Move all coaching centres to better planned areas: Report on deaths in Delhi

Moving coaching institutes to “better-planned areas” in the city, a complete overhaul of the city’s ageing drainage system, and strict enforcement of rules regulating basement use – these were among some measures recommended by a magisterial probe into the July 27 deaths of three civil service aspirants at Old Rajendra Nagar-based Rau’s IAS Study Circle following flooding in its basement.
The report also castigated officials of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Delhi Fire Services (DFS) and the coaching institute as it outlined series of lapses and oversights that led to the tragedy.
In the August 6 report submitted to revenue minister Atishi, the district magistrate (DM) of central Delhi G Sudhakar recommended seven measures, of which five pertain to improving drainage system, including removal of illegal and unauthorised constructions on storm water drains, sewage drains and barrel drains on priority.
The other two measures are the strict enforcement of guidelines regarding misuse of basements for educational purpose and the “gradual shifting” of coaching institutes to well-planned areas in Rohini and Narela. The report recommended revamp of old and damaged drains, de-silting of overflowing drains, and identification of stretches where waterlogging occurs due to road design or topography.
Coaching centre deaths: Probe points to lapses, makes recommendations
“Identification of stretches of roads must be made where there is waterlogging due to road design or topography for taking corrective action for proper alignment of roads vis-à-vis the drains on priority by the road-owning agencies,” Sudhakar stated in the report. MCD had earlier said that the profile of road from Shankar Road to Pusa Road is “saucer-shaped”, with the lowest point in front of Rau’s Coaching Institute and during peak rains, water accumulates in the 200-foot stretch.
On July 25, three UPSC aspirants — Shreya Yadav, Tanya Soni, and Nivin Dalwin — died after a library in the basement of the coaching centre flooded, reportedly leading to the failure of the single biometric entry and exit points.
The magisterial probe also outlined alleged lapses by officials of MCD, DFS and the coaching institute. These violations range from the builder, architect, and building owners applying for construction of a building for “office/business” instead of educational buildings to issuance of completion-cum-occupancy certificate without obtaining the fire safety certificate.
The report added that MCD building authorities failed to inspect and seal the basement which was being “misused” as a library since September 2021. In addition, the report says that the fire department granted a fire safety certificate last month, concealing the misuse of basement as a library in violation of the building by-laws.
On the recommendation that coaching institutes be shifted to other areas, stakeholders said that small and large centres should be treated differently. They added that schools can also be used in the evening as coaching units. Earlier, MCD Ashwani Kumar also said there is a high demand of such centres in Delhi. “We should also identify spaces for people to open coaching centres legally… It is a requirement of the city…”
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Keshav Aggarwal, president, Educators’ Society, a union of coaching centres, said the larger coaching industries and smaller units should have different norms. “Even the city master plan has a provision of using school and college infrastructure for operating coaching centres in evening shifts but this was never implemented. Schools and colleges have enough space to run multiple units in the evening and this will also act as a revenue-earning medium for schools,” he said.
Aggarwal added that larger coaching centres in coaching hubs may be gradually shifted but infrastructure needs to be set up in the form of dedicated zones in places such as Greater Noida and Faridabad. “Around 80% of students at coaching centres come from outside Delhi. Shifting can only be possible in areas which also have residential space provisions. For smaller tuition centres with 50-60 students, norms regarding safety and minimum space be fixed so that they can operate legally… Coaching centres became legal in 2007 but rules have still not been made clear,” he said.
Vaibhav Singh Chauhan, 26, from Lucknow, said most students residing in Old Rajendra Nagar side with the idea of a coaching hub being planned in the outskirts of Delhi. “It’s a welcome step because the housing rent will be cheaper. The rent paid by owners of coaching centres for the space will also be less, which will also reduce the fees charged from us,” he said.
Meanwhile, MCD mayor Shelly Oberoi undertook a review of the sealing drive against coaching centres and the sanitation system during the monsoon season. Oberoi said she has directed officials to continue the sealing drive. “We are conducting a survey to identify coaching centres and other properties violating rules across all zones. I have directed officials to issue notices to coaching centres and property owners for misuse of property and violation of building by-laws… and take sealing action,” Oberoi said. MCD has sealed 122 properties operating in basements till August 7.