Criminal neglect, maintenance failure: LG on Delhi coaching centre incident

Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena on Sunday directed the divisional commissioner to submit a report on the deaths of three civil service aspirants in the basement of a coaching centre in Old Rajinder Nagar due to a rain-induced flooding.

UP's Shreya Yadav, Telangana's Tanya Soni and Navin Dalwin from Kerala died after the basement of the building housing the coaching centre -- Rau's IAS Study Circle -- got flooded after heavy rain in the central Delhi area on Saturday evening, officials said.

The LG said the incident points to "criminal neglect" and lack of "basic maintenance" by concerned agencies and said the guilty will be brought to book.

Saxena said he is deeply anguished by the deaths of the civil services aspirants. "That this should happen in the capital of India is most unfortunate & unacceptable," he said in a post on X.

 

"Reportedly 7 other citizens have died due to electrocution in the past few days. My deepest condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives. You are in my thoughts and prayers," he said.

Saxena said he has been keeping a close watch over the situation and has monitored the rescue operations by Delhi Police and the fire department personally.

"These incidents clearly points towards criminal neglect and failure of basic maintenance and administration by concerned agencies and departments," he said in another post.
 

 

"Drainage in the city and related infrastructure, as also required efforts and endeavours to address these have apparently collapsed," Saxena said.

He added that the incident is indicative of the "larger malaise of misgovernance that Delhi has been subjected to during the last decade or so".

The role of coaching institutions and landlords in not ensuring basic safety of students, who pay hefty fees and rents, away from their homes needs to be looked into, the LG said.

"What has been happening is unpardonable and such issues can no more be glossed over. I have asked the Divisional Commissioner to submit a report, covering every aspect of the tragic incident by Tuesday," he added.

While nothing can bring back the precious young lives lost due to apathy of the administration and criminal misconduct of those running coaching institutions, responsibility of those who caused the loss of lives, will be fixed and guilty will be brought to book, he added in a series of posts.