24x7 Safe Study Space Inaugurated In Dwarka A Year After Rajinder Nagar Tragedy

NDTV

a day ago

New Library In Dwarka: A year after three UPSC aspirants lost their lives in a flooded basement library in Rajinder Nagar, Delhi's Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena on Monday inaugurated a new 24x7 reading space in Dwarka's Sector 16-B, the third facility under the 'Aarambh' initiative launched in the wake of the tragedy.
The library, built inside a repurposed DDA community hall, can seat around 200 students per day, divided into three 8-hour shifts. It will remain open round-the-clock, with each shift costing Rs. 1,000 per month, a fraction of what private libraries typically charge in Delhi's coaching hubs.
Standing at the venue, Saxena revisited the events of July 27, 2024, when three young civil services aspirants died after rainwater filled a basement study room in Rajinder Nagar, sparking outrage and protest.
"If you remember that last year on July 27, a tragic incident happened at Rajender Nagar where three students lost their lives," the Lt. Governor said.
"These students were studying in the library when the basement was flooded and they lost their lives. In my opinion, nothing can be more tragic than this. I went there immediately and assured the students who were on strike that it would be my endeavour to provide best facilities to the students. I am happy that within a year, we were inaugurating third library for them."
Born Out of Protest
The Rajinder Nagar incident had exposed gaping holes in how private libraries and reading rooms were functioning in Delhi's education hotspots, often crammed into unsafe basements, lacking proper ventilation or emergency exits.
After the incident, the LG's office and DDA launched the Aarambh initiative to provide safer alternatives. The first library opened in Old Rajinder Nagar in January, followed by another in Adchini earlier this month.
Dwarka's location was selected for its rising student population and the lack of affordable reading infrastructure in the area.
What's Inside
The newly opened library is equipped with rows of modular study desks, each with its own charging socket, under soft LED lights. Students can access high-speed Wi-Fi, secure lockers, and monitored common areas under CCTV surveillance.
Unlike many commercial setups, this facility includes outdoor amenities: a shaded seating zone, a small cafe, a walking track, and an open-air gym.
The library also houses separate washrooms and an accessible toilet, features students had demanded last year after raising concerns about hygiene and safety in private reading spaces.
More Libraries in the Pipeline
Officials confirmed that two more Aarambh libraries are being planned, one in Vikaspuri and another in Rohini. The first facility in Old Rajinder Nagar has already expanded to accommodate double the number of students it began with.
The idea, they said, is to gradually convert underused community buildings into reliable, low-cost study hubs, a much-needed alternative in a city where commercial reading rooms can cost Rs. 4,000- Rs.6,000 a month and are often unregulated.
With student registrations underway, the Dwarka library is expected to open to readers within the week. For aspirants juggling long hours in coaching hubs and cramped rooms, it offers a rare combination of safety, structure, and affordability.
One year after the Rajinder Nagar tragedy laid bare the risks students face in unregulated study spaces, the Aarambh initiative signals a shift in how public infrastructure can respond to grassroots pressure. More libraries are planned, but will the momentum last, and will it reach the students who need it most?