Following the death of three students at a UPSC coaching centre due to flooding of its basement, the Delhi govt today issued safety guidelines to be followed by all educational institutions. Delhi Govt’s Directorate of Education has issued safety guidelines to all the Principals or Heads of Govt, Govt Aided and Unaided Private Recognized Schools.
The safety guidelines state that if any school building has a basement, it has to be used only for permitted activities as per provisions of the Master Plan and as per the sanctioned plan. It states that the access to the basement shall be properly marked and clearly indicated in the school evacuation plan. Electrical wirings & fittings including appliances shall be checked and all safety norms be followed to avoid any kind of untoward related incident.
After the Old Rajinder Nagar incident, Delhi Govt’s Directorate of Education issued safety guidelines to all the Principals or Heads of Govt, Govt, Aided and Unaided Private Recognized Schools- the basements, if any in school buildings, shall be used only for permissible… pic.twitter.com/v5wKmCr7Yq
— ANI (@ANI) July 31, 2024
The guideline states that it was issued after the Old Rajinder Nagar incident on 27 July where three students died in the library located in the basement of Rau’s IAS Study Circle, and before then the death of a UPSC aspirant due to electrocution on 22 July.
The guidelines state:
- The provisions of Master Plan for Delhi, 2021 regarding use of basement in public buildings shall be followed.
- The basements, if any in school buildings, shall be used only for permissible activities as per provisions of the Master Plan and as per the sanctioned plan.
- All gates of the school buildings shall be functional and opened for entry & exit.
- The access to the basement shall be properly marked and clearly indicated in the school evacuation plan.
- All the corridors shall be free from obstructions at all times and smooth passage be ensured.
- School corridors and staircases shall be regularly checked for water accumulation and requisite necessary action to be taken.
- Ensure all necessary steps at school level are being taken to avoid water logging in and around school premises.
- Electrical wirings & fittings including appliances shall be checked and all safety norms be followed to avoid any kind of untoward related incident.
- The school shall have all requisite fire safety measures in place.
Notably, Rau’s IAS Study Circle centre was issued a fire safety certificate just 18 days before the incident, which stated that the basement was to be used for storage. But in reality, the basement was being used as a library. Moreover, the library was equipped with biometric lock which can be unlocked only with fingerprint.
On the day of the incident, the flood caused a power failure, and a result the biometric lock could not be unlocked. The students present in the library were trapped in the flooded basement where the water level reached 12 feet, leading to the death of three students at the coaching centre.
