The drowning deaths of three students at Rau’s IAS Study Circle in Delhi’s Old Rajendra Nagar have sparked outrage among local residents, who accuse the authorities of negligence and failure to address the illegal use of basements.
On June 26, Karol Bagh resident Kishor Singh Kushwaha lodged a complaint with the Delhi Public Grievance Monitoring System (PGMS), highlighting the unlawful operation of classes in the basement of the coaching institute. Despite submitting two follow-up reminders on July 15 and July 22, the issue remained unresolved.
Kushwaha stated, “Had the administration acted promptly, this tragedy might have been prevented. The area is plagued by illegal basement operations lacking the necessary NOCs and safety measures. This negligence by the administration is unacceptable.”
Another local resident, Ashok Sharma, criticized the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) for its inaction regarding frequent waterlogging in the area. “The MCD is aware of the waterlogging issues in this area but has failed to address them. Operating libraries in basements is prohibited, yet the MCD allowed it to continue,” Sharma said.
Attempts to contact MCD officials for comments on the complaint and their inaction were unsuccessful.
The tragic incident occurred on Saturday when the basement of Rau’s IAS Study Circle, which had been converted into a library, filled with water during a sudden downpour. The three deceased students, Tanya Soni, Nevin Dalvin, and Shreya Yadav, were trapped inside the flooded basement.
The authorities’ failure to enforce safety regulations and address infrastructure issues has raised serious concerns about the safety of similar establishments across Delhi.