Old Rajinder Nagar incident: Plea in Delhi HC seeks various precautionary measures, setup of independent probe

New Delhi [India], July 28 (ANI): In light of the tragic incident involving the deaths of three UPSC aspirants due to waterlogging at a coaching centre in Rajinder Nagar, a plea has been filed in the Delhi High Court.

The plea seeks a directive for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to implement immediate measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. The court’s intervention aims to address and mitigate issues related to waterlogging and improve safety conditions.

Plea moved by a NGO, namely Hindu Rashtriya Pravasi Manch, seeks Delhi High Court order for an independent inquiry into the incident to ascertain the responsibility of MCD, Rao IAS Study Centre, and the Government of Delhi. It is also seeks direction the MCD, Delhi Government and said Coaching Centre to provide adequate compensation to the victims’ families and the injured.

Mandate regular inspections by the MCD and the Government of Delhi to ensure compliance with safety regulations and necessary licenses for all educational institutions and commercial establishments.

Advocate Dr AP Singh who will represent the NGO in Delhi High Court further stated that despite the ongoing protests by the affected families and citizens since the night of the incident, no higher authority has addressed the issue. The Petitioner and the affected families demand transparency in the number of injuries and deaths and immediate action against those responsible for this gross negligence.

The negligence on part of the MCD in not ensuring proper drainage maintenance and safety measures is evident. The Petitioner also points out the illegal operations and lack of safety measures at the Rao IAS Study Centre’s basement, which further exacerbated the situation, plea stated.

Plea further stated that the city’s educational coaching centres have frequently been criticised for flouting safety norms and risking students’ lives. Hubs like Mukherjee Nagar and

Rajender Nagar have scores of such establishments where no precautions are allegedly taken to ensure the safety of students.

Last year, a devastating fire engulfed a coaching institute in northwest Delhi’s Mukherjee Nagar, compelling the panic-stricken students to leap out of windows in a desperate bid to escape the inferno. Numerous students also resorted to rappelling down the building using ropes as a last-ditch effort to save their lives.

In May, the Delhi High Court ordered the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and Delhi Development uthority to immediately shut down any coaching centre found to be operating in contravention of the prescribed fire safety norms.

The court’s pronouncement came in the wake of several petitions concerning the functioning of coaching centres in the area, including in a case that the high court had initiated on its own after taking note of a fire at one such institution in June 2023. The high court had previously emphasised that safety of students was an absolute necessity and that all coaching centres must either adhere to the statutory requirements mandated by Delhi Master Plan 2021 and other relevant regulations or face imminent closure, plea read

As many as three civil services aspirants died after the basement of a coaching centre in Delhi’s Old Rajendra Nagar area was flooded after heavy rainfall hit the national capital, said officials on Saturday. The Delhi Fire Department received a call from Rau’s IAS Study Circle at around 7 pm on Saturday about the flooded and waterlogged basement.