MC, Fire Dept to conduct survey, structural audit in tuition market

Manav Mander
Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, August 1
After the Delhi coaching centre tragedy, the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation and the Fire Department has sprung into action. The Fire Department will be conducting a fire safety survey and the Municipal Corporation will be conducting the structural audit of buildings in the prominent tuition market of the city, located at Model Town Extension.

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Past incident
A major tragedy was averted in May 2018 when a family of four, including two senior citizens, had a narrow escape after a fire broke out at a coaching centre in Feroze Gandhi Market. The escape route was blocked with flames and smoke and the victims were stuck on the top floor. The family was rescued by firefighters and thus, managed to avert the major tragedy.

Numerous coaching centres are allegedly operating from illegal and unsafe buildings here, putting thousands of lives at risk every day. The centres lack fire safety arrangements, proper exits and operate from cramped and dingy buildings.
The tuition market is siting on a powder keg with inadequate fire safety measures and has only single entry and exit points, which will make it difficult in case of any emergency situation. Some outlets have allegedly violated building bylaws and many shop-cum-offices have been clubbed together to increase the area of coaching centres.
Municipal Corporation Commissioner Sandeep Rishi said he would get the audit of these buildings done next week and those found violating the building bylaws would be dealt sternly.
Under the structural audit, the MC will be inspecting specific points, including area of buildings, bylaws compliance, number of students studying in coaching centres, hoardings and hanging wires, fire-safety norms, fire exits and availability of parking space among others.
Assistant Divisional Fire Officer, Maninder Singh, said they would be conducting a fire safety survey of all the centres located in the tuition market. Last year also, inspection notices were served on many centres. “Coaching institutes should follow all safety norms as students come here every day and those found flouting the norms will not be spared,” he said.
“Children in Ludhiana too are risking their lives daily at coaching centres. The centres have no provisions of fire safety and violate building bylaws as well. The centres have narrow staircases, no emergency fire exit, no open space, some of the complexes also have eateries in the same buildings where LPG cylinders are being used, some have constructed three to four floors against the permission for two, and are operating without fire NOCs. The authorities concerned should deal with the situation in a strict manner,” said Sukwant Singh, a senior citizen.
Neither the Fire Department nor the Municipal Corporation have data about the number of tuition centres being run in the city. They have now started mushrooming in residential areas as well.