Delhi CM Sets One-Month Fire Safety Deadline For 923 Coaching Centres
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday set a strict one-month deadline for all coaching institutes in Delhi, including the neighborhood of Saket, to complete mandatory fire audits and install fire safety equipment. The directive, which warns of immediate sealing for non-compliance, follows recent safety disasters including a commercial building collapse near the Saket Metro Station last month that killed five students.
Speaking on the urgency of the safety measures, Chief Minister Gupta stated that the safety and security of children is the government's primary concern. She warned that any institute operating without a completed fire audit, mandatory safety equipment, or prescribed safety measures will face strict action, including sealing, if they fail to comply within the one-month period. Gupta emphasized that the total number of coaching institutes in Delhi is not the issue, but rather the protection of the students.
According to official estimates, there are approximately 923 coaching centres operating across Delhi. To oversee the implementation of these safety regulations, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has been designated as the nodal agency. Education Minister Ashish Sood announced on Thursday that the MCD will be responsible for conducting the fire audits and safety inspections across all coaching centres.
The government's crackdown on coaching centre safety follows a series of recent tragedies involving students. Aside from the fatal building collapse near the Saket Metro Station, a devastating fire at a commercial building in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, recently claimed the lives of 15 people, the majority of whom were students.
Chief Minister Gupta also called upon the student community to assist authorities in identifying unsafe premises. She urged students to report non-compliant coaching centres through messages, e-mail, or phone, promising that every complaint would be investigated. Gupta emphasized that there would be no compromise when it came to the safety of students.
