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The tragic incident at Rau's IAS Study Circle in Rajinder Nagar, Delhi, highlights the dangerous consequences of flouting building regulations and prioritizing profit over safety. The coaching center, which catered to civil service aspirants, illegally converted its basement, designated for parking and storage, into a library, a blatant violation of building bye-laws and safety protocols. This reckless disregard for regulations ultimately led to the deaths of three students who were caught in the flooded basement after heavy rainfall. The incident has exposed the lax oversight and lack of accountability in the implementation of safety regulations in the city's coaching centers, raising serious concerns about the well-being of students pursuing their ambitions.
The coaching center had obtained a No-Objection Certificate from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) in August 2021, which explicitly stated that the basement was intended for parking and storage purposes. However, the center ignored this directive and converted the basement into a library, a space that would be heavily frequented by students during peak hours, exposing them to significant risks in case of emergencies. This violation of regulations underscores a blatant disregard for basic safety measures and the potential for catastrophic consequences. The tragedy also raises questions about the role of the MCD in ensuring compliance with building regulations and the effectiveness of its oversight mechanisms.
The incident has sparked outrage among students and fueled calls for accountability. The Delhi mayor, Shelly Oberoi, has ordered a probe into the incident, aiming to identify any MCD officers involved in the negligence that led to the tragedy. Police have registered a case against the coaching center, including charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and death due to negligence. The owner and coordinator of the coaching center have been arrested. The incident has also ignited a political blame game, with the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) trading accusations about responsibility for the tragedy. This unfortunate incident serves as a stark reminder of the need for stricter enforcement of safety regulations and prioritization of student well-being, especially in high-pressure environments like coaching centers.
Source: How Rajinder Nagar Coaching Centre Flouted Key Norms, Put Lives In Danger