Sood orders inspection of fire safety, building norms at Delhi coaching hubs

Delhi's education minister ordered inspections of fire safety norms at coaching hubs following a fire in Lucknow that killed 15, urging strict compliance.

New Delhi: Delhi education minister Ashish Sood on Wednesday directed the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and other agencies to inspect fire norms, building regulations and safety measures at Mukherjee Nagar, Rajinder Nagar and other coaching hubs, said officials.

The minister directed departments concerned to ensure that coaching centre operators implement comprehensive and long-term safety measures without delay. (HT archive)

The directions came two days after a devastating fire in a building in Lucknow’s Aliganj, housing a coaching centre, that killed at least 15 people, mostly students.

“The safety and welfare of students is our priority. Any negligence will not be tolerated. All coaching institutes must strictly comply with safety norms and guidelines,” Sood said.

The meeting, chaired by Sood, was attended by senior officials from the MCD, the Urban Development Department, Delhi Fire Services, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) and the Directorate of Higher Education (DHE), among others.

The minister directed departments concerned to ensure that coaching centre operators implement comprehensive and long-term safety measures without delay.

He asked the MCD to provide inspection teams with details of coaching centres operating across Delhi and submit a daily action taken report (ATR) on enforcement and compliance measures.

Meanwhile, an official said the DHE is drafting a comprehensive regulatory framework for coaching institutes to address systemic gaps, strengthen accountability, improve safety standards, and establish a transparent regulatory mechanism.