Coaching centre deaths: Storm drains were covered by encroachers, says MCD official

The storm drains built to carry away excess water due to heavy rains in the Old Rajinder Nagar area, where three civil services aspirants died after being trapped in the basement of a coaching institute, were covered by encroachers, a senior MCD official said on Sunday.

The drainage system in the area was heavily clogged with silt and overflowed leading to a flood-like situation due to the rains that lashed parts of Delhi on Saturday, locals complained.

Three civil services aspirants -- two females and a male -- lost their lives as they were trapped inside the library running in the basement of Rau's IAS Study Circle, which flooded due to rain and reportedly led to the failure of the single biometric entry and exit point.

The police, however, said it is yet to confirm the biometric lock claim and will investigate it.

Asked about reports of waterlogged drains in the area and if their de-silting was completed, the senior MCD officer directed PTI to the deputy commissioner of the zone for details.

He, however, mentioned that "people on street sides have encroached and covered the storm drains" used to carry away the water accumulated during heavy rains.

Abhishek Mishra, Deputy Commissioner of the Karol Bagh zone of the MCD, where the incident took place, did not respond to the calls and texts to seek information.

Meanwhile, Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi has directed MCD Commissioner Ashwani Kumar to take strict action against commercial activities run in the basements and ascertain if an MCD official is responsible for the incident.