Editorial: A tragedy waiting to happen

Death of three civil services aspirants at the coaching centre in Delhi exposes the callousness of authorities

The death of three civil services aspirants due to drowning in the flooded basement of a coaching centre in Delhi has sent shock waves across the country as it exposed the callousness of the authorities and loopholes in safety management. Ironically, it was just six months ago that the Union Ministry of Education had issued a set of guidelines for the regulation of coaching centres. The guidelines encompass key aspects, including infrastructure prerequisites, such as fire safety codes, building safety codes and other standards. It is clear that these norms are observed more in the breach than in the practice. The tragedy at Rau’s IAS Study Circle in Delhi’s Old Rajinder Nagar was waiting to happen as it has now emerged that the owner of the centre did not follow the zoning regulations or safety norms. The absence of a proper drainage system in the basement was a critical factor leading to the death of students. What was even more appalling was that a student had flagged the issue last month that the coaching centre’s basement was not safe but the warning was ignored. It has emerged that the local fire department has failed to adhere to safety standards. Several glaring lapses by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) have also come to light. The coaching institute was given a no objection certificate (NOC) by the MCD despite having no clearance to run classes in the basement of the building. There were also concerns over the delay on the part of the Delhi police in making the arrests.

After every such mishap in India, a political blame game breaks while the main issues concerning safety are relegated to the background. Though the MCD has terminated the services of a junior engineer and suspended an assistant engineer, besides carrying out an anti-encroachment drive and sealing the premises of several illegal coaching centres in the area, the measures amount to knee-jerk reactions. Given the massive business potential, coaching factories have mushroomed across the country, flouting norms. As per 2022 estimates, the coaching industry in India is a huge money-spinner — it is worth Rs 58,000 crore and projected to reach Rs 1.3 lakh crore by 2028. It is not uncommon for operators to make compromises to cut down costs. In the Rajya Sabha, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar said coaching centres had become no less than gas chambers. The AAP government has accused the Centre-nominated Lieutenant Governor of Delhi of turning a blind eye to the city’s mess while the BJP has placed the blame at the doorsteps of the State government. The thought of how the three young people — Shreya Yadav from Uttar Pradesh, Tanya Soni from Telangana and Nevin Dalvin from Kerala — could drown in the heart of the national capital is horrifying. The Centre and State governments must display a strong political will to improve safety standards.

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