The Delhi High Court on Wednesday strongly criticized the Delhi government’s “freebie culture” in light of the recent deaths of three civil service aspirants due to flooding in the basement of Rau’s IAS coaching center in Old Rajinder Nagar on July 27. The court expressed concerns about the government’s failure to upgrade the city’s infrastructure, particularly its drainage system, amidst a growing population.
The court directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) commissioner, the deputy commissioner of police (DCP), and the investigating officer to appear in court on Friday. It also ordered the removal of all encroachments on drains in Old Rajinder Nagar by Friday, stressing the urgency of addressing the issue.
The incident, which occurred on July 27, claimed the lives of three UPSC aspirants: Shreya Yadav from Uttar Pradesh, Tanya Soni from Telangana, and Navin Dalwin from Kerala. They were trapped in the flooded basement of Rau’s IAS Study Circle. The court is hearing a plea for the constitution of a high-level committee to investigate the incident, with the next hearing scheduled for Friday at 2:30 PM.
A division bench consisting of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela emphasized the need to fix responsibility for the incident. They warned that if local authorities failed to do so, the investigation might be transferred to a central agency such as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC). The court highlighted the severity of the incident as a case of infrastructure failure and negligence.
The court demanded the presence of the investigating officer, the concerned DCP, and the MCD commissioner with all relevant files on Friday. The court criticized the investigation’s progress, calling it “strange” and highlighting that actions were being taken against “passersby” rather than holding MCD officials accountable. The court stated that someone needs to be held responsible, noting that only one MCD official had been jailed so far.
The Delhi High Court also expressed dissatisfaction with the civic authorities’ failure to upgrade the century-old infrastructure. The court pointed out the disconnect between liberalizing laws and failing to modernize infrastructure, labeling the civic authorities as “bankrupt.” The bench criticized the lack of spending on infrastructure and questioned the administrative capacity to govern the city effectively. They highlighted the ongoing issues of unauthorized construction despite buildings being officially sealed.
This tragic incident has brought to light the urgent need for infrastructure upgrades and accountability within the city’s civic administration, as well as the potential repercussions of governmental negligence.
