The Delhi High Court is set to hear a public interest litigation (PIL) on Wednesday seeking the formation of a high-level committee to investigate the tragic incident at a Rajinder Nagar coaching centre where three people lost their lives.
Advocate Rudra Vikram Singh, representing the petitioner NGO Kutumb, mentioned the matter urgently before a bench led by Acting Chief Justice Manmohan on Tuesday. The court agreed to hear the case the following day if the necessary documents were in order.
The PIL demands a thorough investigation into the role of Delhi Municipal Corporation (MCD) officials who allegedly ignored a complaint about the building on June 26. It also seeks the establishment of district-level committees to address illegal commercial constructions across Delhi.
Furthermore, the petition urges the court to order an action taken report on the previous Mukherjee Nagar incident and to mandate a committee to inspect coaching institutes for compliance with safety standards.
The plea highlights the systemic issues in regulatory enforcement and the urgent need for accountability in cases of illegal construction and non-compliance by educational institutions. It underscores the devastating impact of corruption within relevant departments, citing the loss of lives and numerous incidents in recent years.
The recent tragedy in Rajinder Nagar, where three civil service aspirants perished, is not an isolated case. The plea emphasizes the government’s failure to implement preventive measures despite similar incidents in the past.
Another PIL filed on July 28 seeks immediate measures from the MCD to prevent such occurrences in the future. The court’s intervention is aimed at addressing waterlogging and improving overall safety conditions.
The plea references the 2022 fire at a Mukherjee Nagar coaching centre, where students were forced to jump out of windows to escape. In May 2023, the Delhi High Court ordered the closure of coaching centres violating fire safety norms.
The court has consistently emphasized the paramount importance of student safety and the need for strict adherence to regulations.
The tragic incident occurred on Saturday, July 28, when the basement of a coaching centre in Old Rajendra Nagar flooded due to heavy rainfall.