11 Days After UPSC Aspirants Death, 10 More Basements of Coaching Centers, Libraries Sealed in Delhi

New Delhi: The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) continued its crackdown on commercial activities proliferating in basements in the national capital as it sealed 10 such coaching centres and libraries in Shahdara (South Zone), Karol Bagh, and Najafgarh Zone for violating building bylaws.

This comes 11 days after three IAS aspirants drowned at a flooded basement of Rau's Study Circle coaching centre in Delhi's Old Rajinder Nagar after rainwater gushed inside its basement.

For the unversed, three UPSC aspirants, identified as Shreya Yadav, Tanya Soni, and Nivin Dalvin, lost their lives after water from a flooded drain gushed into the library in the basement of Rau's IAS Study Circle (July 27).

Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi, who came down heavily on such establishments who run their businesses from basements, took to X and wrote, "MCD's sealing drive continues in East Delhi today. We are in the process of doing everything to set an example for all coaching centers that think of flouting rules."

According to a press release by the civic body, four basements operating as illegal libraries in the Karol Bagh Zone were sealed while four basements of coaching centers and libraries were sealed in Shahdara South Zone, and in Najafgarh Zone saw sealing of two such coaching centers and libraries.

The civic body also issued notices to these study centers and property owners for misuse of property and violation of building bylaws across all zones. Further, the MCD is conducting a survey to identify coaching centers and other properties that are violating rules in basements throughout the city.

Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over the probe into the deaths of the three UPSC aspirants and visted the spot at Rau's coaching centre on Wednesday. The Delhi High Court had transferred the case to the CBI on August 2 due to flaws in the Delhi Police's investigation and concerns about potential corruption by public servants.