Coaching centre tragedy: ‘Storeroom in basement was turned into library’

Samad Hoque

New Delhi, July 28

Three students lost their lives after water reached the basement of a civil services preparatory coaching centre, Rau’s IAS Study Circle, in Old Rajinder Nagar in Delhi on Saturday evening. Officials revealed that the basement was to be used as a storage room however, it had been running a library illegally.

According to Delhi Fire Service chief Atul Garg the building had been granted a no-objection certificate (NOC) on the condition that the basement would be used solely as a storage room. “The management of the coaching institute was using the same room as a classroom or library, which is a violation of the NOC,” Garg said. The NOC to the centre was permitted to only house two staircases, two lifts and two lift lobbies, a parking bay, a car lift and household storage in the basement where it was conducting commercial activity through classes.

The centre’s NOC had been renewed earlier this month for three years, which stated the building had complied with fire prevention and fire safety requirements. The building was certified to be fit for occupancy class “Educational Coaching Centre”. Fire Services officials also said that the centre’s NOC will be revoked and further investigation will be taken against other buildings found to be flouting norms.

Sewer in front of building burst suddenly

• Eyewitnesses said that a sewer pipe in front of the building suddenly burst which led the water to spread rapidly and fill the basement of the building.
• The police are probing how the water managed to reach the basement of the building. Police sources said the water level outside the building was up to the waist level and when the drain burst, the water broke the steel shed installed at the entrance of the coaching centre.
• The police are also looking at other angles to determine the actual cause of water inundating the basement.
• The basement was 8 feet below the ground and 25-30 students were inside when the water gushed into the basement raising an alarm.
• Police said the Fire Department officials received a call at around 7:10 pm on Saturday and ASI Birendra immediately reached the spot. Water was immediately pumped out from the basement and NDRF was called to assist in the diving operation.
• The first body was taken out at around 10:40 pm and the second body was extricated at around 11:10 pm. The third body was found by the NDRF at around 1 am.

Mayor: Crack down on violators

• Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) Mayor Shelly Oberoi said the coaching centre was running a library in the basement illegally. Library or other commercial activity was not allowed in its basement. Only lift, parking and storage were allowed there, she added.
• Dr Shelly Oberoi has directed the MCD Commissioner to crack down on the coaching centre or other commercial activities running in the basement and take strict action against the officials responsible for it.

Basements of 13 centres sealed

IAS Gurukul, Chahal Academy, Plutus Academy, Sai Trading, IAS Setu, Topper’s Academy, Dainik Samwad, Civil’s Daily IAS, Career Power, 99 Notes, Vidya Guru, Guidance IAS and Eassy for IAS