Fresh spell of rain floods Delhi area again where 3 IAS aspirants died, students continue to protest

Delhi's Old Rajinder Nagar area, where three students died due to flooding in the basement of a coaching center last week, was again submerged following heavy rain on July 31 evening with commuters wading through waterlogged lanes and fearing for their safety.

Several videos surfaced of the flood-like situation on the stretch that is lined with many coaching centers. The BJP attacked the AAP saying it had not learnt any lesson from the tragedy even as AAP shared videos of its MLA from the area Durgesh Pathak assisting people on the ground and ensuring water was being pumped out.

Drenched in the rain, students who have been protesting since the incident happened on July 27 shouted slogans while standing in thigh-high water.

"We had come out from our home for dinner and it suddenly started raining and within minutes the whole area got flooded with water," a resident said.

"Even after five days (of the death of the UPSC aspirants), the administration and MCD are only using their complete force to suppress the protest and have done nothing to set the drains cleaned," he charged.

The AAP-led Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has been facing flak after the incident.

The protesting students are demanding improved safety measures at coaching centers that pose a threat to their lives.

A civil services aspirant, who has been part of the protest in the Rajinder Nagar area, said, "There is sparking in the electric poles. Rainwater is gushing into the basements. Students are worried about their safety in such a situation."

Another student said that the MCD started a cleaning drive and has claimed that they have cleaned all the drains, but the condition is the same again.

"They (MCD) carried out demolition of encroachments over the stormwater drains, and claimed to have cleaned the drains but the rain again cleared the picture. Knee-deep water accumulated here," said the civil service aspirant.

AAP MLA from Rajinder Nagar Durgesh Pathak reached the area. In a video shared by the Aam Aadmi Party on its X handle, he could be seen wading through water while being accompanied by some students.

"Heavy rain in Delhi. AAP MLA @ipathak25 is present on Ground Zero in Rajinder Nagar. He is getting the water drainage arrangements done in front of him. AAP government is on ALERT MODE," the AAP said in a post on X in Hindi.

The BJP attacked the AAP over the waterlogging situation. Delhi BJP leader Rajesh Bhatia, in a post on X, said, "MLA Durgesh Pathak has still not learnt his lesson. God forbid some untoward incident happens due to increased waterlogging."

On July 27, three civil service aspirants died after the basement of Rau's IAS Study Circle in the Old Rajinder Nagar area was flooded after rain.

(PTI)