20230306 ‘Infrastructural neglect’ behind blaze that ravaged Old Delhi market
India Mar 06 2023 “Building” “Stores”
Dead : dead 0 or unknown Burnout : 1 to 29 Injured : injured 0 or unknown
‘Infrastructural neglect’ behind blaze that ravaged Old Delhi market
Updated: 2023-03-06
NEW DELHI: An inquiry committee, set up to probe the Bhagirath Palace fire in which 200 shops were gutted in November last year, has found that the blaze occurred due to “infrastructural neglect”, such as structurally weak buildings in narrow lanes, overloaded circuits, encroachment on streets and public spaces and traffic congestion on arterial roads.
The report, which was submitted to LG VK Saxena last month, held MCD, BSES, PWD and the traders’ association accountable for violation of norms.
According to the report, the fire spread to other shops across the street due to excessive heat in a compressor of an air-conditioning machine installed in a shop on the ground floor. The report from the Forensic Science Laboratory is still awaited.
The report blamed MCD for a “lack of effective mechanism to prevent these unauthorised constructions, take necessary demolition or sealing action against all these buildings and failing to identify unsafe structures and fix accountability for such lapses, to mitigate such disasters in the special area that earlier also witnessed major fire incidents”.
Responding to TOI’s queries, an MCD official said: “MCD will ensure that such incidents don’t recur, and all necessary measures are in place.”
Among the 12 representatives of stakeholders in the committee, only MCD has yet to sign the report. Coming down heavily on the civic agency, the committee said there was unauthorised addition of floors in the building that had crossed the height of the permissible 15 meters. However, during the last five years, no building in the area was referred to Delhi Fire Service for any action.
In its defence, MCD stated in the report that as construction in most buildings appears to be prior to 2007, it is “protected from any punitive action by virtue of provisions of the National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second Act, 2011, which is being extended from time to time”.
The report faulted BSES for providing power connections in the area without proper verification. “It is apparent that electrical connection has been given for establishments operating from these multi-storeyed buildings without any verification, (irrespective of) whether building plans are sanctioned or not. BYPL failed to prevent electrical installations in such buildings despite (the fact) that such electrical installation may threaten public safety in such a congested market, which deals with flammable and combustible material,” the report stated.
A BSES spokesperson, however, told TOI “Many of the electricity connections in Bhagirath Palace, a very congested area with extremely narrow lanes, have been installed before the privatisation of power in Delhi in 2002. All connections provided by BSES have been as per DERC guidelines. Moreover, the electricity supply to the area was immediately switched off to ensure safety of the inhabitants.”
The Public Works Department has been held responsible for delay in the commissioning of a fire tank of 7-lakh-litre capacity at Azad Park (Town Hall) after the installation of street fire hydrants when funds were already released for the fire-fighting system in 2021. This year, PWD redeveloped the main road of Chandni Chowk. “It appears that the funds released for the fire-fighting system have been diverted by engineers and contractor to other items, which were not included in the revised estimate…” the report stated.
In the report, PWD argued that the installation of firefighting pump in the fire tank was pending as the contractor had not completed the work due to the non-release of dues.
The report also faulted the traders’ association, which “does not restrain traders from engaging into unauthorised construction in violation of existing provisions of building bylaws…”
Web Source: The Times of India