India, June 30 -- The Municipal Corporation of Delhi will begin a survey of 923 coaching centres across the city from July 1 to inspect compliance with fire and building safety norms, officials said on Monday. The exercise comes against the backdrop of the Delhi government's directions for a citywide inspection of coaching centres after a fire at a coaching institute in Lucknow earlier this month claimed 15 lives. "A total of 36 coaching centre properties have been sealed across the national capital this month, while show-cause notices have been issued to nine properties for violations," a senior MCD official said. Also Read - SIR of voter list kicks off in Delhi; CM Rekha Gupta calls it 'yajna of democracy' According to official data, 34 coaching centres were sealed between June 1 and June 28, while show-cause notices were issued to six others. On Monday, three more show-cause notices were issued, and two additional properties were sealed, officials said. They added that the drive is part of a sustained crackdown on unauthorised coaching centres operating in residential and commercial buildings without the requisite clearances. "The enforcement teams are acting on complaints and survey reports. More properties are under scrutiny," the MCD official said. He added that the survey will be carried out across all 12 MCD zones using an 18-point checklist covering sanctioned building plans, occupancy certificates, fire no-objection certificates (NOCs), basement use, number of staircases, classroom exits, road width, student strength and enforcement action, including sealing wherever required. Also Read - SIR of Delhi's voter list begins today; 13,000 BLOs deployed The civic body has also asked its zonal offices to share a consolidated list of all 923 coaching centres surveyed, along with a daily action report. "The survey will verify compliance with prescribed building and fire safety norms. Field teams will record all required details and initiate action wherever violations are found," the official said. Another official said the survey would also record ownership details, floor-wise use of buildings, the approximate number of students per shift, the number of coaching shifts, setback details and the status of departmental action. Following the Lucknow incident, Education Minister Ashish Sood directed the MCD, Delhi Development Authority, Delhi Fire Services and Delhi Disaster Management Authority to inspect coaching centres across Delhi, particularly in major student hubs such as Mukherjee Nagar, Old Rajendra Nagar and Katwaria Sarai. Delhi Mayor Pravesh Wahi earlier said inspection drives were already underway across the capital and that action had been taken against unsafe buildings, including sealing properties and demolishing unauthorised constructions.
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