New Delhi, July 28: The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has started action against illegal coaching centres and will set up a high-level committee to probe the flooding of a basement in central Delhi which led to three civil service aspirants' deaths, an official said on Sunday. A team of the civic body reached the Old Rajendra Nagar area Sunday to seal several illegally-run basements of coaching centres, a statement by the Delhi government said.

Such establishments have been identified and a drive against them has started, an official said. The MCD had last year conducted a survey of such coaching centres after a massive fire broke at an institute in Mukharjee Nagar, another coaching hub in north Delhi. Delhi Coaching Centre Deaths: Students Demand Accountability, Voice Safety Concerns After Deaths of Three Civil Services Aspirants at Rao’s IAS Study Circle.

"To begin with, the survey will be used to identify those flouting norms," the official said. Three civil services aspirants -- two females and a male -- died after a library housed in the basement of Rau's IAS Study Circle flooded in a heavy rain Saturday night and reportedly led to the failure of the single biometric entry and exit point.

"A gross criminal negligence is found on part of the owner of the institute in ensuring safety measures as the library in the basement was running illegally and had only one entry and exit point that was biometric-enabled and got locked due to the flooding," the MCD official said. Delhi IAS Academy Tragedy: Owner, Coordinator of RAU’s IAS Coaching Centre Where 3 Students Died Due to Flooding Detained.

"The students could have escaped had the exit been free. The MCD only approves the building plan but if somebody misuses the basement for commercial activities after declaring it will be used for parking and storing purposes, what else can the agency do to ensure protection?" he said.

The official said storm drains in the area - which carry excess rainwater to bigger drains -- were covered by "encroachers on street sides" and contributed to the flooding. "Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi has held a meeting of the officials in this regard and setting up of a high-level committee after talks with the Delhi government will be announced soon," another official said.