Pune: Alandi Municipal Council said it would conduct a comprehensive survey of private coaching classes in the temple town following the death of eight students from Alandi during a trip to Diveagar beach.The decision comes amid heightened scrutiny of private coaching institutes following the Oct 1 Diveagar tragedy, in which eight students from Alandi drowned during a trip organised by a private coaching academy. AMC has sealed this institute.Officials said they would verify whether the establishments have obtained the necessary no-objection certificates (NOCs) from the municipal councils. “The council will also examine the physical infrastructure of the coaching centres — structural integrity, building permissions, parking space and other facilities,” chief officer Madhav Khandekar told TOI.Further, officials said they would also scrutinise the institutes’ compliance with applicable fire and other safety requirements. Institutes found in violation of these norms will face action, an official said.Citizens and activists said the council should have been proactive, rather than reactive, given that thousands of students study across these institutes.But the administration said its focus was currently on enforcement. “This drive is for the safety of our students — not against their academic pursuits. Parents should take it in that spirit,” AMC president Prashant Kurhade said.The civic body will also examine whether commercial activities are being carried out in buildings approved for other purposes. Officials will check the sanctioned building plans and construction against the actual use of the premises, particularly in cases where large numbers of students are attending classes, said officials.“The availability of parking will be another key area of inspection. With coaching centres attracting hundreds of students, we will assess whether vehicles are being parked in a manner that obstructs roads or creates difficulties for emergency movement, because most of these centres are in residential areas,” said Khandekar.A father’s hopes dashedTukaram Bhandwalkar, father of 16-year-old Soham, who drowned at Diveagar beach, said he kept his hopes alive for as long as possible. “I only wanted to see Soham again. I kept telling myself that he would be safe… that everything would be fine,” Bhandwalkar said, recalling his overnight journey from Alandi to Shrivardhan after he learnt of the incident.He had not told his mother, wife or daughter what had happened. “I did not know what I was doing. I had no sense of who was speaking to me or what anyone was saying. There was only one thought in my mind — I had to see my Soham,” he said.He recalled the sense of fear that descended over the other parents and relatives travelling with him. “We were trembling and it was difficult to breathe,” he said.They reached Shrivardhan around 11 pm. When he was taken inside to identify Soham, his last remaining hope vanished.Tukaram recalled that Soham had a ready smile and was affectionate, level-headed and obedient. He was especially close to his sister, he said.
