The Rau’s IAS Study Circle centre in Delhi’s Rajinder Nagar, where three students died in rain-induced flooding, was functioning illegally as a library.

The coaching institute was issued a fire safety certificate just 18 days before the incident.

Notably, the institute, had falsely shown that the basement was being used for parking and as a store room, as per the building plan and No Objection Certificate (NOC) of the fire department.

Following the tragedy, Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi has directed the Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to take strict action against coaching centres across the national capital that are running commercial activities in basements.

The three-storey coaching centre had its building plan approved by the concerned MCD department in 2021. The coaching centre received a No Objection Certificate (NOC) earlier this month, in which clearance was given for the three-storeyed building, a stilt parking space beneath the building and a basement, which was supposed to be used as a storage area. The NOC mentions that the basement shall be used strictly as per building bye-laws.

 “In the building completion certificate of the institute, it is clearly written that it can only be used for parking and storage in the basement. It means that the library was running illegally in the basement,” an MCD official said.

The certificate issued on 9 July 2024 says, Certified that the building of Coaching center Located at Ground, 1?, 2?d && 3?* floor Plot No. 11B, Bara Bazar Marg, Old Rajinder Nagar, New Delhi. in the building comprised of Basement (Storage) Stilt (Parking) Ground + 3 upper floor have complied with the fire prevention and fire safety requirements in accordance with Rule 33 of the Delhi Fire Service Rule, 2010 and verified by the team of officers concerned of this department on 01/07/2024 in the presence of Sh. Ashok Narang and found that the said building is fit for occupancy class “Educational Coaching Centre”.

This building was built in 2021. Library or other commercial activity was not allowed in its basement. Only car lift, parking and storage were allowed. MCD commissioner Ashwani Kumar, after taking charge in June, had suspended several officers from the corporation’s building department.

“The building has fire NOC, but in the NOC they had shown the basement as a store room. The management of the institute was using the same room as a classroom or library which is a violation of the NOC,” according to Delhi Fire Services chief Atul Garg.