The tragic hotel fire in Malviya Nagar, Delhi has once again put spotlight on rampant fire safety violations in Jabalpur. Following the incident, the Fire Department of Jabalpur Municipal Corporation (JMC) is preparing to launch another round of inspections. But sources say this may be little more than a repeat of past exercises that brought no lasting change. According to departmental sources, dozens of establishments in the city are operating without fire NOCs. These include restaurants, coaching centres, hospitals, warehouses, bars, cafes, spa centres and commercial offices. Many are reportedly housed in multi-storey buildings with no emergency exits. This is not the first time the JMC has swung into action after a tragedy elsewhere. A few years ago, JMC raided and sealed several hospitals and malls for running illegal operations in basements.

 

But the effect was short lived. Sources say that as soon as inspections stopped, business resumed as usual. Basements approved only for parking are now housing offices, shops, canteens, restaurants, spa centres and dairies. Vehicles are forced to park on the road, causing frequent traffic jams. In several private hospitals, basements were found to be running patient wards, storerooms and even OPDs without fire safety equipment or ventilation. Coaching classes and warehouses are also functioning in basements without any safety measures. Residents have been complaining repeatedly. But JMC officials have not acted. Experts warn that a single spark in these densely packed areas could trigger a fire disaster on the scale of Delhi or worse. There are no emergency escape routes in many of these establishments. If authorities concerned are failing to act in time, the consequences could be devastating.