Encroachments over stormwater drains to be demolished: MCD commissioner on coaching centre deaths

New Delhi: The civic body is working on three fronts, including demolishing encroachments over stormwater drains, following the deaths of three IAS aspirants at a coaching centre in Old Rajinder Nagar after its basement got flooded due to heavy rain, MCD Commissioner Ashwani Kumar said on Monday.

Action has also been stepped up on illegal basements that are a threat to safety, the senior Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) official added.

"We worked on three fronts. Encroachments covering stormwater drains, due to which its cleaning was not easy, are to be demolished. Action has been initiated against illegal basements which are a threat to and safety," he said.

"Three basements were sealed last evening. We have taken action against the maintenance engineers responsible for containing waterlogging. The junior engineer has been terminated and the assistant engineer suspended," Kumar said.

Three IAS aspirants died due to flooding of the Rau's IAS Study Circle building basement in the central Delhi coaching hub of Old Rajinder Nagar following heavy rain last week.

Police have arrested seven people in this connection so far.