Fire Safety Part - IV: Govt-managed market offices sans firefighting arrangements

Charanjit Singh Teja

Amritsar, April 7

It is mandatory for every private shopping mall, shopping complex and commercial building to follow the fire safety rules. All such establishments keep fire safety equipment updated, but shopping centres managed by the government are ignoring the rules. These centres do not have fire safety equipment and infrastructure.

Most markets developed by the Amritsar Improvement Trust (AIT), Amritsar Development Authority (ADA) and the municipal corporation (MC) don’t have fire safety infrastructure.

Ironically, Nehru Shopping Complex, one of the major markets of electronic goods managed by the AIT does not have proper firefighting arrangements. The Improvement Trust had installed fire safety equipment around 20 years ago at the complex. A few fire extinguishers and hose pipes are there, but all are lying defunct. The three-storey market has covered corridors and houses a large number of electronics, computer and mobile phone shops. In case of any fire incident, there is nothing to tackle it. There are no functional hose pipes in the parking area.

The parking lots operated by the MC and the ADA also lack the firefighting infrastructure. Fire extinguishers and hose pipes at Bhandari Bridge and Saragarhi parkings are lying defunct. The situation is almost same at the local bus terminal.

The offices of Punjab Power Corporation Limited, Irrigation and Transport Departments and several other government departments don’t have required equipment to douse the flames. There are some markets in the congested areas such as Dharam Singh Market, near the Golden Temple, where not a single fire extinguisher is available.

“Dharam Singh market is located in the walled city adjoining the historic mosque and Katra Ahluwalia. There should be proper arrangements for fire safety in the market. There are few banks and an insurance firm and government offices in the market building. In case of any untoward incident, narrow stairs and small corridors of the market building can hinder rescue operation,” said Ramesh Kumar, a resident.

Officials of the Fire Department claimed that they review firefighting arrangements at government-managed markets, buildings and parking lots and also write to the authorities concerned to make necessary arrangements to douse blaze.