North corporation continues drive against illegal coaching centres

NEW DELHI: Continuing its drive against illegal coaching centres in North Delhi’s Mukherjee Nagar and neighbouring areas, the municipal corporation has identified 269 new centres running in the neighbourhood that violate the Delhi Municipal Act.

The building department has started serving them notices and has given them a week’s time to shut down voluntarily.

Last week, the agency sealed 65 coaching centres running in Mukherjee Nagar and nearby areas that flank Delhi University’s north campus. However, residents of the area called the move an eyewash. They said that the misuse of properties is continuing despite the civic agency’s sealing action. “People are using back doors (other than the sealed ones) for continuing the classes, ” said JC Gosai, a resident.

Residents also claim that the institutions have made illegal extensions, and are using pavements for parking of vehicles, leading to chaos every day.

“At Banda Bahadur Marg, people are allowed to use only the ground floor for commercial use as the road falls under mixed land use category under the Delhi Master Plan 2021. But a majority of the residential houses have been fully converted into paying guest accommodations or coaching institutions, which is illegal,” said Gosai.

“Misuse of sealed property amounts to trespassing under the Indian Penal Code and can lead to imprisonment. If such things are happening then residents must approach the department head,” said Yoginder Singh Mann, spokesperson, North DMC.