DEHRADUN: In the wake of the Lucknow coaching centre fire incident, the Uttarakhand government has intensified its crackdown on coaching institutes flouting safety norms in Haldwani, Nainital district. The district administration has so far sealed 12 coaching centres for violations related to fire safety, emergency exits and other mandatory safeguards.
A joint team led by Nainital District Development Authority Secretary Manish Kumar and City Magistrate A.P. Bajpai carried out surprise inspections at several coaching institutes in the city on Saturday. During the drive, five centres were found operating without fire no-objection certificates (NOCs), proper emergency exits and other essential safety arrangements. They were sealed on the spot.
The centres sealed during the latest action include two branches of Vision Future, Kumaon Defence, Park Square and Krishna IAS and Defence Academy. Earlier, seven coaching centres had been sealed for similar violations, taking the total number of sealed establishments to 12.
Officials said the inspections were aimed at assessing whether coaching institutes, which often accommodate a large number of students in limited spaces, were complying with basic safety requirements. During the checks, serious lapses were detected at several premises, including the absence of fire NOCs and safe evacuation routes.
"Student safety cannot be compromised under any circumstances," officials involved in the inspection said, adding that institutes would be allowed to operate only after fulfilling all prescribed norms.
Manish Kumar said all coaching institutes must strictly comply with mandatory guidelines.
"Fire safety measures, structural safety of buildings, emergency exits and other required arrangements are compulsory. Permission to operate will be granted only after these conditions are fully met," he said.
The administration has made it clear that the drive will continue against institutes functioning without valid permissions or adequate safety infrastructure.
Coaching centre operators have also been warned to complete all required formalities in time and ensure compliance with safety standards.
The action comes amid heightened concern over the safety of students attending private coaching classes across the country. Authorities said the Haldwani inspections are part of a broader preventive exercise to avoid any tragedy and ensure that crowded educational spaces are not allowed to function in unsafe buildings.
