Drishti IAS basement owned by Vikas Divyakirti sealed for illegally running study center, said MCD commissioner Ashwani Kumar to the reporters
New Delhi: On Saturday, July 27, 2024, 3 UPSC aspirants died by drowning after being stuck in the flooded basement for over four hours at Rau’s IAS Study Circle in West Delhi. Following this tragedy, Drishti IAS Sealed. The MCD, Municipal Corporation of Delhi sealed the Drishti IAS basement owned by Vikas Divyakirti, located in Mukherjee Nagar in North-West Delhi.
Student died by drowning
Shreya Yadav from Uttar Pradesh, Tanya Soni from Telangana, and Navin Dalwin from Kerala were UPSC aspirants who entered the library housed in the basement and were trapped in the floodwater from heavy rain with no chance to escape and save their lives. Illegal structures in the area obstructed storm drains, causing water clogging, leading to this tragedy.
MCD seals basement of Drishti IAS
Following the tragic incident on Saturday, MCD launched a sealing drive carried out against establishments illegally running coaching centers and other commercial centers using the basements. The officials said, so far 20 basements of coaching centers that were illegally being used in both Rajendra Nagar and Mukherjee Nagar have been sealed. 13 basements of coaching institutes running in Rajendra Nagar were sealed by Sunday while 6 others were sealed on Monday.
Drishti IAS Sealed
This sealing drive has brought many prominent coaching centers under the MCD radar. Institutes like Drishti IAS Institute run by Vikas Divyakirti, SriRam IAS Institute in Rajinder Nagar, VajiRam and Ravi IAS hub, and Drishti in Mukherjee Nagar, all were inspected by MCD on Monday. VajiRam and Ravi IAS hub building had three basements sealed. The MCD is also actively carrying out an anti-encroachment drive to remove structures covering the storm drains. Drishti IAS Sealed after the discovery of illegal usage of the basement by the institute.
Days before a similar tragedy had struck in West Delhi when a UPSC aspirant was electrocuted while trying to cross a waterlogged street in Patel Nagar. A magisterial inquiry was announced after Delhi power minister Atishi asked the Chief Secretary to look for the reason leading to this accident. The magisterial inquiry revealed that a damaged red wire of a submersible pump installed in a neighboring house came in contact with an iron gate, which the victim touched accidentally, leading to his death by electrocution.
This incident has caused public outrage. Hundreds of students in Delhi have come together to protest against coaching centers and demand action against coaching centers and landowners and officials in charge of the illegal use of basements. Coaching center hubs like Mukherjee Nagar are also facing similar protests. MCD has taken action against two officials who were members of the maintenance department in the Karol Bagh Zone, after facing criticism for allegations of negligence and failure to desilt flood water drains. A junior engineer was dismissed and an assistant engineer was suspended.
Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena took to X (formerly Twitter) and wrote, “I am deeply anguished by the death of 3 Civil Services aspirants due to water logging in the basement of a coaching center and that of another student due to waterlogging related electrocution. That this should happen in the Capital of India is most unfortunate & unacceptable.”
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