MCD to set up four libraries in name of UPSC aspirants who died last month

New Delhi: Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi has proposed that four libraries be established here in the name of the civil services aspirants who died last month, according an official.

On July 27, three UPSC aspirants drowned in the library in the basement of a coaching centre in the Old Rajinder Nagar area, while, a week earlier, another student in Mukherjee Nagar died after he touched an iron gate that was in contact with an open wire.

There was, however, no clarity over how these libraries would be named as the letter to Municipal Corporation of Delhi commissioner from Oberoi mentioned that these "may be established/constructed by the MCD in the name of the deceased students at four places in Delhi" which are "Rajendra Nagar, Mukherjee Nagar, Patel Nagar and Ber Sarai".

These areas are coaching hubs for civil services and other competitive exams, and a large number of students live in these localities in hostels and PG accommodations.

In a letter to MCD commissioner Ashwani Kumar on Thursday, the mayor said after the unfortunate incident that took place few days back in Rajinder Nagar, a lot of students preparing for competitive exams in Delhi raised the issue of shortage of public and government libraries.

They raised the demand for libraries as many cannot afford the huge membership fee charged by private libraries, she said and proposed to establish the MCD libraries.

"In view of the above, I would like to propose that at least four libraries may be established/constructed by the MCD in the name of the deceased students at four places in Delhi... 1. Rajendra Nagar 2. Mukherjee Nagar 3. Patel Nagar 4. Ber Sarai," she said in the letter.

"Hence, budget provision for this work may be made from the Mayor's Discretionary Head of Account and also you are requested to direct the department concerned to check the feasibility and identify the land in the...areas in this regard and to initiate necessary action at the earliest,” the letter read.

The official said nothing can fulfill the loss that Delhi feels, but "we are trying to improve public reading spaces for students".