Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi announced on Sunday that strict action will be taken against coaching centres operating from basements in the city. This decision follows the tragic death of three UPSC civil service aspirants after the basement of a coaching centre in Old Rajinder Nagar (ORN) was flooded due to heavy rain.

Violation of Building Bylaws

In a statement, Mayor Oberoi emphasized that coaching centres conducting commercial activities in basements are violating building bylaws and operating outside legal norms. "Strict action should be taken against them immediately," she asserted.

Inquiry and Accountability

Mayor Oberoi has instructed Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) officials to launch an immediate inquiry to determine if any civic body officers were responsible for the incident. "An immediate enquiry will be conducted to identify if any officers of MCD are responsible for this tragedy. If any official is found guilty, the strongest possible action will be taken against them," she stated.

Incident Details

The tragic incident occurred on Saturday night, resulting in the deaths of three UPSC aspirants: Tania Soni, 25; Shreya Yadav, 25; and Navin Delvin, 28. They were trapped for hours when water suddenly inundated the basement of the coaching centre. The bodies of the two female students and one male student were retrieved during a rescue operation conducted by the NDRF, local police, and fire department.

Delhi Government Orders Probe

The Delhi government has also ordered a thorough investigation into the incident to ensure accountability and prevent such tragedies in the future.