Delhi-NCR Coaching Centres Face Inspections, Sealing After Lucknow Fire Tragedy
In the wake of a deadly fire at a coaching centre in Lucknow that killed 15 people on Monday, authorities in Delhi-NCR have launched a citywide inspection and enforcement drive against coaching institutes flouting fire safety and building norms.
Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood has ordered an inspection drive across the capital, directing the Delhi Development Authority, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Delhi Fire Services (DFS), and Delhi Disaster Management Authority to check compliance in major student hubs such as Mukherjee Nagar, Rajender Nagar and Katwaria Sarai.
The MCD has been asked to share a list of 923 coaching centres surveyed in Delhi and submit a daily action-taken report. Sood stated that institutes found violating safety standards or other regulations would face strict action, adding, “The safety and welfare of students is our top priority. Any negligence affecting student safety will not be tolerated.”
During a high-level meeting, officials also discussed regulatory gaps, student welfare, and alleged unfair commercial practices by coaching institutes. The Directorate of Higher Education is preparing a regulatory framework for coaching centres in Delhi aimed at addressing systemic gaps, strengthening accountability, and creating a transparent mechanism.
Meanwhile, in Gautam Buddha Nagar, nine coaching institutes were sealed and notices served to twelve others. Out of 66 institutions inspected since Tuesday, five in Greater Noida were sealed due to lack of required documents and non-compliance with prescribed standards. In Noida Sectors 16 and 18, 12 institutes were inspected and two sealed; in Sector 22, four were inspected and two served notices to halt operations. Six institutes were inspected in Sectors 58 and 62. Hotels and guest houses in Jewar were also inspected, with one sealed and three served notices.
In Ghaziabad, out of 56 establishments inspected, 12 were found flouting norms, and two coaching institutions in Modinagar were sealed. The District Magistrate chaired a meeting reviewing fire safety arrangements in residential societies and high-rise buildings, directing RWAs to manage combustible materials safely.
Delhi-NCR has reported multiple fire incidents this year, prompting heightened vigilance.
