Basement meant to be used for parking or storage, not library: Delhi Fire Service chief on coaching institute deaths

The building has a fire NOC, but in the NOC, they showed that the basement would be used as a storeroom.

Security personnel stand guard near a UPSC exam coaching centre after three civil services aspirants died when the basement of the coaching centre was flooded by rainwater, in New Delhi, Sunday, July 28, 2024. (Photo | PTI)

NEW DELHI: The Rau’s IAS coaching institute, where three aspirants tragically lost their lives on Saturday after getting drowned in the rainwater which had accumulated in the basement of the building, was illegally operating a library in the basement area, flouting all norms.

What added to the problem was that the calamity could have been prevented had the people not encroached on the streets and covered the storm drains, an MCD official at the spot said on Sunday.

Delhi Fire Service Director Atul Garg confirmed to TNIE that the coaching institute had permission to use the basement as a store room, but it was being used as a library, which is a violation of the rules.

“The building has a fire NOC, but in the NOC, they showed that the basement would be used as a storeroom. The institute’s management was using the same room as a classroom or library, which is a violation of the NOC,” Garg said. Moreover, there was no drainage in the basement from where the water could have passed.

According to officials, the basement was meant for vehicle parking; however, the coaching institute owners used it as a library for the students.

In August 2021, Rau’s IAS Study Centre received a Completion or Occupation certificate from the North Delhi Municipal Corporation.

The certificate, a copy of which is with TNIE, shows the entire floor plan of the building, clearly mentioning that the ground to the second floor will be for office use while the stilt (ground) and basement were earmarked for car parking and household storage.

Interestingly, a student had previously lodged a complaint with the authorities highlighting the illegal running of a library in the basement area last month. Again, he put a reminder around 10 days back, but none paid heed to his alarms.

According to police sources, the students told them about the biometric system’s failure at the time of the incident.

“They claimed the biometric system failed once the water started entering the basement, blocking the exits,” the official said.

‘Biometric failed’

Police sources said several survivors informed the officials that due to flooding and power outage, the biometric system installed on the doors of coaching centre failed, locking the doors from outside