Delhi Coaching Incident: HC Stands With Society , Grills Govt and Delhi Police
- M.R Mishra
- Jul 31, 2024
- 3 min read
KUTUMB THROUGH ITS TRUSTEE Vs. STATE OF NCT OF DELHI & ORS
Advocate : RUDRA VIKRAM SINGH
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday blasted the civic body over the deaths of three civil service aspirants who drowned in the basement of a coaching centre in Old Rajinder Nagar and summoned the MCD commissioner on Thursday.
"What kind of planning is this? One day you complain of drought and the next day there is a flood? Who sanctioned the building plan? Has he been hauled up? He must have got a double promotion. The MCD has become a joke," the court said.
The Delhi High Court has summoned the Municipal Corporation Development (MCD) Commissioner, the concerned Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), and the Investigation Officer for the next hearing of a Writ Petition. The petition calls for a high-level committee investigation into a recent tragic incident in Rajendra Nagar, where three UPSC aspirants drowned in the flooded basement of Rau's Study Circle following heavy rains in Delhi.
The Division Bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, suggested that the matter might need to be transferred to a special statutory body, such as the Central Vigilance Commission or the Lokpal. The court also ordered MCD officials to visit the affected area and emphasized the need for senior officers to be present on the ground to ensure no physical harm occurs.
Advocate Rudra Vikram Singh, representing Kutumb, highlighted the pattern of tragic incidents in Delhi, referencing multiple fatal accidents since 2019, including fires and flooding. He argued that the city's infrastructure is inadequate and poorly managed, with many illegal operations going unchecked.
The MCD's counsel informed the court that six employees had been dismissed, but the court criticized the action for targeting only junior staff. The Bench insisted that senior officials should also be held accountable and questioned the outdated infrastructure and permissive construction practices in the city. The court expressed concern over the city's ability to handle its current population and the lack of necessary infrastructural improvements.
"You want to have freebies culture, but don't want to collect taxes... this is bound to happen," the two-judge bench said.
The court demanded answers regarding the flooding in Rajendra Nagar and the failure to upgrade the infrastructure. It noted the disconnect between the needs of the citizens and the provided infrastructure, criticizing the liberalization of construction laws without corresponding infrastructure improvements. The court highlighted the financial difficulties faced by civic authorities, emphasizing the need for better planning and resource allocation.
Advocate Jawahar Raja, representing the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD), assured the court that the Investigation Officer would provide a status report at the next hearing.
The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Advocate Rudra Vikram Singh points out severe violations of Article 21, which guarantees the right to life and personal liberty. The petition draws attention to a series of tragic incidents in Delhi, often linked to negligence and corruption within governmental departments. The PIL calls for urgent action to address systemic failures and ensure accountability for preventable deaths.
The petition requests the formation of a high-level committee to investigate the Rajendra Nagar incident and similar issues across Delhi. It also seeks the establishment of district-level committees to identify and address illegal commercial constructions in the city.
Thanks For Visiting!!
Comments