"We should not play blame game": Delhi Mayor urges strict action after basement flooding kills 3 students

New Delhi: After three UPSC aspirants lost their lives due to flooding in a coaching centre, Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi on Sunday called for strict action against those responsible for the tragedy.
Three UPSC aspirants died in the basement of a popular IAS coaching institute in Delhi's Old Rajinder Nagar area yesterday after its basement was flooded with water.
"When such an unfortunate incident occurs, We should not play the blame game and take action against those responsible... and action should also be taken against coaching centres that violate norms by illegally using basements," she told ANI.
The Delhi Mayor also mentioned that according to the building completion certificate of the institute, the basement is designated for parking and storage only.
"The completion certification of this building in Rajinder Nagar was given in 2021 and it is clearly written that the basement will be used only for parking and storage," she told ANI.
Notably, the North MCD had issued a certificate that allowed the said basement to be used for storage for parking and toilets. However, disregarding the rules, a library was established in the basement.
Earlier in the day, the Delhi Mayor had written to the MCD Commissioner to take immediate strict action against all such coaching centres across Delhi which are under the jurisdiction of MCD and are running commercial activities in the basement, violating the building bylaws.
"All such coaching centres across Delhi which are under the jurisdiction of MCD and running commercial activities in basements which are in violation of building bye-laws and are not as per norms, strict action should be taken against them immediately," she said in a statement.
She said that an immediate enquiry to be conducted to identify if any officers of MCD were responsible for this tragedy.
"Immediate enquiry to conducted to identify if any officers of MCD are responsible for this tragedy If any official is found guilty, the strongest possible action be taken against them, under intimation to the undersigned," She added.
Notably, the Old Rajender Nagar incident comes days after a UPSC aspirant was electrocuted on a waterlogged Delhi street.