Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday launched its long-awaited enforcement crackdown against non-compliant educational institutes in the MP Nagar area, immediately sealing Bhopal Academy for failing to meet mandatory fire safety regulations. While the civic body’s Fire Department had originally slated four institutions for closure during the high-stakes drive, Aakash Institute, Step Up Coaching, and an adjacent library managed to secure a crucial 24-hour administrative reprieve. These establishments provided binding assurances to the on-site enforcement teams that they would comply with the safety protocols and submit the necessary documents, postponing further sealing operations until Friday. In a bid to instill long-term preparedness, municipal administrators also made it mandatory for all coaching centres to conduct hands-on fire safety mock drills every three months to train students and staff in emergency evacuation protocols. Exposing the systemic vulnerability of student hubs, Fire Officer Saurabh Patel revealed that exhaustive inspections of 61 coaching centres across the State capital showed that not a single institution possessed fully functional fire safety systems.

 

Following the initial safety audits, notices were served to all 61 establishments, prompting 30 operators to submit formal affidavits seeking a 30-day grace period to install and operationalise the missing equipment. However, the remaining 31 institutes completely ignored the administrative directives, leaving the municipal corporation with no alternative but to authorise direct sealing and punitive actions to mitigate potential hazards. Strict safety specifications mandated for operations Under the strict technical guidelines established by the municipal corporation, all local coaching centres are legally required to maintain an active, fixed fire protection system. The mandatory configuration includes a dedicated water storage tank with a minimum capacity of 10,000 litres, high-efficiency fire pumps capable of delivering 450 litres per minute (LPM), at least two unblocked emergency escape routes, and an automatic fire detection system configured in auto-operational mode. Furthermore, buildings must feature advanced smoke ventilation systems, reliable backup power powered by dedicated diesel generator sets, and regular hands-on training for security personnel and operational staff to handle hydrants and fire extinguishers during a crisis.