Court Denies Access to Coaching Center Building, Raising Safety Concerns

The Rouse Avenue court rejected a request to access a coaching center building where three UPSC aspirants died. The court cited safety certificate issues and questioned the building's fire safety compliance. Over 1,000 students' studies are disrupted, with court suggesting alternative premises for classes.

The Rouse Avenue court has denied permission for a coaching center to resume classes in a building where three UPSC aspirants tragically died on July 27 in Old Rajender Nagar. Abhishek Gupta, the CEO of the Coaching Center, had requested access to the premises.

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Nishant Garg dismissed the application, noting that the building had been used without a fire safety certificate until July 9, 2024. The ACJM observed that it was unclear how an occupancy certificate was issued in 2021 without the requisite fire safety certificate. Furthermore, the fire safety certificate process lacked clarity, with questions about the roles of the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) still unresolved.

The court highlighted that the entire premises, including the basement, need to be considered for safety compliance. The application to access the upper floors was dismissed due to insufficient grounds. The court noted that disrupted studies for over 1,000 students could be resolved by holding classes elsewhere. The RAU's IAS Study Circle coaching was closed following the incident involving the flooded basement.

(With inputs from agencies.)