The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) launched a sealing drive in Mukherjee Nagar, known for housing coaching centres preparing candidates for civil services.
With just one and a half months left for the UPSC Mains Exam, aspirants in Delhi’s Mukherjee Nagar face a crisis as the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) launched a sealing drive on Monday, July 29. Mukherjee Nagar, known for housing numerous coaching centres preparing candidates for civil services, is at the centre of this action.
The sealing drive follows a tragic incident where three civil services aspirants lost their lives due to waterlogging in the basement of a coaching centre in Old Rajendra Nagar, just days ago. Heavy rains reportedly caused the biometric entry and exit gate of Rao IAS Study Circle to malfunction, leading to the unfortunate incident.
An MCD official said that action is being taken against establishments illegally using basements in the area. The official announced that a subsequent drive will be initiated citywide to crackdown on businesses operating unlawfully from basements.
A UPSC civil services aspirant, currently studying at a coaching centre in Mukherjee Nagar, disclosed that following Saturday’s tragedy, most coaching centres have shut down their libraries. The student expressed, “I am scheduled to take the UPSC Mains exam in six weeks, but the library at my coaching centre has been shut down. All my study materials and books are kept there, and I’m currently being denied access to retrieve them.”
“Late Sunday night, we received a message instructing us to retrieve our books from the library by Monday 6 am. I was asleep at that time, so how could I comply by morning? Many students at our centre are currently preparing for the UPSC Mains exam,” the student further explained.
The MCD took swift action on the ongoing illegal use of basements by dismissing one officer and suspending another. Additionally, an anti-encroachment operation commenced on Monday aimed at clearing illegal structures obstructing storm drains, which have been linked to waterlogging issues in the Old Rajendra Nagar locality.
On Sunday, the corporation sealed 13 unauthorised coaching centres in the vicinity. Earlier, the police had sealed Rao IAS Study Circle, the site where three students tragically lost their lives on Saturday.
