Coaching Centres violating norms
Heartfelt thanks to the Delhi High Court for its crucial role. The future and lives of thousands of students are jeopardized due to the collusion between the MCD, Delhi Police, and coaching institutes. The fire that erupted at the Coaching Mafia Sanskriti Coaching Center in Mukherjee Nagar, Delhi, left the public in shock. However, the system’s guardians were engaged in blatant corruption. Our group has been tirelessly bringing this issue to the forefront. Subsequently, we extend our gratitude to the court for pressuring the MCD and coaching mafias to uphold the rule of law. Regrettably, the coaching mafia’s marketing tactics have resumed, once again putting students’ lives at risk.
Shut down coaching centres violating fire safety norms: HC to MCD, DDA
The Delhi High Court on Friday voiced its dissatisfaction with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) for not ensuring strict adherence to its previous orders concerning coaching centers that operate without following applicable laws.
The HC was considering a series of cases related to the activities of coaching centers in Mukherjee Nagar, including a case initiated by the court itself in 2023, after it had taken notice of a fire incident at a coaching center located in a four-storey building in Mukherjee Nagar.
On April 5, the HC had instructed the formation of an independent inspection team, led by advocate Gautam Narayan, who was appointed as the amicus curiae in the case, to conduct an inspection of the area and to submit a report detailing the total number of coaching centers in operation, and among those, the number that were in compliance with the Unified Building Bye-Laws (UBBL), 2016, and the Master Plan of Delhi (MPD), 2021
Advocate Gautam Narayan reported that some coaching centers, previously reported as closed by the MCD, were discovered to be still functioning under new management or under a different name. During the hearing, the bench of Justices Yashwant Varma and Ravinder Dudeja expressed their frustration, stating, “You (MCD) are attempting to quibble over the direction, which was clear: to shut them down. Just do it and file a report. The amicus curiae is doing the job that the MCD should be doing. You created this mess, and now is not the time for clarifications.”
Narayan informed the court that inspections were conducted on two separate dates, covering approximately 70% of Mukherjee Nagar, Nehru Vihar, and various locations in GTB Nagar. He also mentioned that many properties had been converted into what are being called “libraries,” which are essentially rooms divided into cubicles for students to study.
“Like We Work?”
The HC inquired, “Like We Work?” to which Narayan responded, “Kind of.” Following multiple hearings, the HC ordered the MCD and DDA (Delhi Development Authority) to immediately take action to ensure that certain premises, which are non-compliant and in “violation” of the court’s previous “sealing direction,” are sealed. The court also requested a report from the authorities on this matter, instructing them to submit it “no later than Monday (April 13).”
Regarding the fire NOC (no objection certificate) and the classification of buildings that house coaching centers in these areas, the HC considered the broad categories of buildings outlined in the UBBL. It emphasized that residential buildings are those that provide sleeping accommodations for normal residential use, stating that this primary use is what typically defines a “residential building.”
The bench further noted that, based on a preliminary assessment, the terms “used for” and “involving” are crucial in characterizing an educational building.
The HC also mandated a new survey by the MCD and the Delhi Fire Service for certain types of buildings specified by the court, which are found to be in violation of the laws. These buildings are to be properly identified, along with complete details of their occupants.
The bench instructed that any electrical equipment still present inside premises used for educational purposes, including staircases, which could be hazardous to public safety, must be relocated promptly.
