MCD Cracks Down on Coaching Centers Amid Safety Concerns, Students Protest

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) sealed 13 coaching centers in Karol Bagh for violating building bye-laws. Following recent student deaths in a flooded basement, protests erupted demanding safety measures, rent regulation, and grievance mechanisms. Police have arrested the center's owner and coordinator for culpable homicide.

In a decisive move, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) initiated action against coaching centers violating building bye-laws. On Monday, owners instructed students to vacate basement libraries. This followed the sealing of 13 centers in Karol Bagh on Sunday amid student protests, with Mayor Shelly Oberoi advocating strict measures against illegal operations.

Tragedy struck when three students lost their lives as heavy rains flooded the basement of a coaching center in Old Rajinder Nagar, Delhi. Students revealed that biometric access systems, which failed during the flooding, trapped them inside. Manish Kumar, a survivor, emphasized the need for alternative safety measures in such facilities.

Punit Singh, another student, raised concerns about the lack of emergency exits and safety protocols in these buildings, highlighting the peril of relying solely on biometric access. Amid ongoing protests, students are calling for enhanced safety, rationalized rents, and effective grievance redressal mechanisms. Meanwhile, the Delhi Police have arrested the coaching center's owner and coordinator, charging them with culpable homicide.

(With inputs from agencies.)