PRAYAGRAJ, June 25 -- Seven coaching institutes were found operating without mandatory registration in the city during an inspection drive launched in the wake of the recent inferno in Lucknow which claimed the lives of 15 youngsters. A probe committee constituted for Sadar tehsil, comprising district inspector of schools (DIOS) Jitendra Pratap Singh and Ajay Kumar Giri, conducted inspections at various coaching centres on Wednesday. During the drive, seven institutes were found to be functioning without registration as required under the Uttar Pradesh Coaching Regulation Ordinance, officials shared. The institutes identified during the inspection include two on Elgin Road in Civil Lines; one at KP Complex on Tashkent Marg and Ganga Bhavan on Tashkent Marg besides another one, also located on Tashkent Marg. In addition, one centre near Police Lines and another near the AU Library Gate were found operating without registration, said officials. Confirming the development, district inspector of schools Santosh Kumar Rai said that these seven coaching centres have been issued notices, directing them to submit their explanations within three days. The notices ask why legal action should not be initiated against them for violating the Uttar Pradesh Coaching Regulation Ordinance, 2002, and the government order issued on June 23, 2026. Officials warned that failure to furnish a satisfactory reply within the stipulated period would result in legal proceedings against the coaching operators, who would be held solely responsible for any consequent action. Varanasi development authority (VDA) on Wednesday sealed 35 coaching institutes found to be violating building plans and lacking approval. Acting on the instructions of vice-chairman Purna Borah, the VDA conducted an intensive inspection drive at coaching institutes and libraries operating in various areas of Varanasi. Many of these were found to be running without approved building plans or necessary permits, the VDA stated in a communique. "Action has been taken against the unauthorisedly operated coaching centers/libraries under Section 27 of the U.P. Urban Planning and Development Act, 1973. Subsequently, taking further action under Section 27(1) of the U.P. Urban Planning and Development Act, 1973, the unauthorized construction in question was sealed on June 24, and placed under police custody," added the communique....