Coaching centre flooding: MCD terminates junior engineer, suspends asst engineer

The civic body said that the coaching centre where the accident took place was found to be in violation of building bylaws

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on Monday terminated the services of a junior engineer and suspended an assistant engineer after three civil service aspirants died due to flooding at a coaching institute at Old Rajendra Nagar on Saturday night. Officials said that the civic body has also initiated an encroachment removal drive in the area in central Delhi which is known as a hub of coaching centres.

Bulldozers razing illegal encroachments at Delhi’s Rajendra Nagar where three students allegedly drowned in a flooded basement on Saturday night. (HT Photo)

The civic body said the Rao’s IAS Study Circle, where the accident took place, was found to be in violation of building bylaws. The basement, where the students drowned to death, was allowed for parking and storage and using it as library and reading hall was not allowed.

MCD Karol Bagh zone deputy commissioner Abhishek Kumar Mishra, in separate orders issued on Monday, said junior engineer Vinay Mittal was terminated and assistant engineer Vishram Meena was suspended from their services.

Officials said the coaching centre and other buildings along the road have encroached and covered the storm drains by extending their buildings in the form of platforms and ramps, thereby making draining of water difficult and cleaning of drains impossible.

Earlier on Sunday, the civic body had sealed 13 basement sections of the illegally run coaching centres in the Karol Bagh zone.

Videos of the accident site just before the incident showed that the road outside the Rau’s IAS Study Circle was heavily flooded and the consequent damage to the gate led to inundation of the basement.