Vadodara Municipal Corporation building not fit to fight fire

VADODARA: Padmavati Shopping Complex was probably the first shopping complex constructed in the city and that too by the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) several decades back. But over the years the condition of the building has become so dilapidated that even a minor fire in its basement could claim several lives.
The basement of the complex has the printing press of the VMC, some apparel shops and offices of local periodicals. However, the staircases leading to basements are dumped with scrap materials or are either closed. Out of the three staircases, while one staircase did not have any scrap, one is closed and the other one had scrap materials and bicycles of workers. The electric meters which are the major cause of short-circuit are also placed on these staircases.

The upper floors of the complex too are like a maze where the traders hang or display their products in the narrow alley which can fit only two persons at a time. The traders association or the civic body have also not placed any fire safety equipment or extinguishers which can help them to douse minor fires.

“We are just the tenants here and it is the VMC that owns the building. They are a government body so they should take care of it on priority basis,” said a dress trader who has his shops since many years in the complex.

Several councillors had raised the issue with the civic body in the past to bring down the complex as the plaster of the building has started to peel off at several places. “Every time the issue was raised some or the other person would be a hurdle and due to political pressure even we had to back out,” said a former councillor.