Shrey-like tragedy in waiting in G’nagar?

Over 60 hospitals in residential areas reportedly functioning without fire safety NOC; fire dept tells GMC that it cannot issue safety NOC to them

Gandhinagar clearly has a lot to learn from the fire tragedy at Shrey Hospital in Ahmedabad. Following the incident, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani ordered all civic bodies to ensure full fire safety compliance at commercial units and hospitals. However, the State capital has plenty of lapses on this front. The fire department is said to have written to Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation stating that it is not possible to give a no-objection certificate to hospitals set up in residential areas of the city.

There are more than 60 of them that do not have fire safety clearances, said highly placed sources in the fire department. According to sources in GMC, not only do these hospitals not have fire safety compliance, but they also do not have proper documentation or registration with the corporation. When contacted, PC Dave, deputy municipal commissioner of GMC said, “We will check the hospitals in residential areas. I am unaware of the past, but whoever has given permission to the hospitals will be responsible for it. We have formed nine teams to review the situation of fire safety in city hospitals, commercial buildings and other important places.

The teams will submit their report in the next few days.” These teams have inspected several hospitals and commercial buildings in the city. Gandhinagar collector Kuldeep Arya said, “All Covid hospitals have required fire permissions. We also got Apollo hospital, Ashka and SMVS hospitals checked. They are wellequipped and have all documents.”

During inspection, commercial buildings like Megh Malhar, Abhishek Tower, Haveli Archec, Suman Tower and Vijay Tower in Sector 11 were found to have faulty fire system and were yet to renew their fire NOC, said highly placed fire sources.

Gandhinagar fire officer Mahesh Modh said, “It is important for every building with heavy footfall to have proper fire safety measures . We have carried out checks at different places in city and are preparing a report.”