Over 100 textile shops sealed in Moti Begumwadi over poor fire measures

Surat: Fire and emergency services department of Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) sealed over 100 shops in textile markets at Moti Begumwadi here on Monday. Ten shops are located in Riddhi Siddhi Market, 83 in Arihant Market and 10 in Manish Market at Moti Begumwadi in central zone of the city. These markets were surveyed for fire safety measures and notices issued to their owners. The shops won't be allowed to open unless their owners promise to adhere to fire safety norms, sources said.
The shopkeepers had been given a week’s time earlier to install proper fire safety systems under Gujarat Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act.
Chief fire officer Basant Parikh said, “All these markets have shops in basement and a single staircase with no emergency exit. They don’t have any fire emergency plan either. The owners have made assurances again, but we have asked them to come up with proper planning by architects before they could be allowed to reopen their shops. There are many such markets and each one of them would be made accountable.”
Civic officials said there are at least 50 textile markets in this area and all have been issued notices for poor fire safety measures.