In the wake of a tragic incident in July that claimed the lives of three civil servant aspirants in Old Rajinder Nagar, Drishti IAS, one of Mukherjee Nagar's largest coaching institutes, is relocating to Noida and other institutes could follow suit. The decision follows the Municipal Corporation of Delhi's (MCD) move to seal the institute's centre for conducting classes in a basement, citing non-compliance with safety norms.
The sealing of Drishti IAS was part of a broader crackdown by the MCD, which targeted over 50 coaching centres in the Old Rajinder Nagar area. The drowning incident sparked widespread concern among coaching institutes in West Delhi, many of which are reportedly contemplating similar relocations due to the deteriorating infrastructure and regulatory inconsistencies.
A senior management member of Drishti IAS, speaking to ThePrint, confirmed the plans: "Mukherjee Nagar may become an empty place in the near future as most of the coaching institutes will have to move out. This is because most of the buildings don’t meet government requirements, and the infrastructure cannot fulfil the rules for fire and safety NOCs."
Drishti IAS has already begun scouting several locations in Noida, and the management is preparing for the transition. "Several coaching institutes have expressed their intention to shift to the new location where we’ll go," the representative added, as per ThePrint's report.
The representative from Drishti IAS noted that the students were inquiring about the relocation to make arrangements. The official said, "We’re receiving hundreds of inquiries from students asking about relocation. They want to know where to move. We’ll be announcing our new location soon so that students can make the necessary arrangements."
The coaching major is committed to ensuring that its students can relocate comfortably, with affordable housing options being a top priority. "We’ve shortlisted a few buildings, but our priority is ensuring that our students can relocate comfortably. Most likely, we’ll vacate Mukherjee Nagar very soon," the management member said, as quoted by the report.
Drishti IAS has already started classes at its Karol Bagh centre and is in the process of finalising the Noida location. "We did a survey among the students through our online platform. Noida and Karol Bagh are the top choices. So we’ve decided to go with the students’ preferences," the representative told ThePrint.
Vikas Divyakirti On Sealing Of Drishti IAS Centre In Old Rajinder Nagar
In July, Vikas Divyakirti, founder of Drishti IAS, expressed his concerns over the regulatory challenges faced by coaching centres. "The sealing action took place on more than 50 institutes, one of them is ours. Three children died; it was a painful death. For the last three days, whenever we talk at home or I go to sleep, an image comes to my mind of what those children must have gone through when the water was filled inside. All the things said by the students who are protesting right now are valid," he remarked speaking to news agency ANI.
Divyakirti acknowledged the necessity of sealing basements that fail to meet safety standards but highlighted broader issues related to regulatory inconsistencies. "We completely agree that the basement should be sealed. But Delhi Metro runs in the basement, underground, and Palika Bazar is in the basement itself. Almost every mall in Delhi has very big shopping complexes in the basement because the basement there has been built properly," he added.
In a statement, Divyakirti acknowledged the justified anger among students, emphasising the need for properly channelled efforts and the implementation of comprehensive guidelines for coaching institutes. He pointed out the ambiguity and contradictions in the regulations from various authorities, including the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), and the Delhi Fire Department.
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