Vulnerable & congested markets to see fire drills soon

Ludhiana: As fire incidents peak in summers, the Ludhiana municipal corporation has decided to conduct fire drills in congested markets to check whether hydrants are functional or not. The MC officials will ask the fire officials to get a special mock drill conducted in these markets. During a fire incident, big fire tenders find themselves useless as they could not enter the congested markets. In view of this situation, hydrants had been installed in these markets.
The hydrants are installed at 27 locations in markets like Daresi Road, Hindi Bazaar, Chawal Bazaar, Daal Bazaar, Sarafa Bazaar, Saidan chowk, Madhopuri, Wait Ganj, Gur mandi, Ghas mandi.
Markets including Chaura Bazaar, Gandhi market, Akal Garh market, Books market, Pindi street, Daal Bazar, Mochpura, Wait Ganj, Kesar Ganj Mandi, Madhopuri are sitting on powder keg. Massive congestion makes firemen’s task difficult as they can’t access these areas easily. Fire tenders often get stuck in jams. The speedy arrival of fire tenders becomes a tough task which slows down the entire fire control exercise. Most of the markets deal in hosiery goods. In the past, the fire brigade had struggled a lot in controlling fires.
Meanwhile, a fire official claimed that usually they get checking done near Diwali, but in routine it is the duty of lineman to check whether water supply is normal there or not. He said these markets are already quite congested and have narrow lanes. But even the existing space has been encroached by the shopkeepers. There are hardly any fire safety arrangements in these markets and when fire takes place, shopkeepers rely on fire brigade only, he said.
MC superintending engineer Rajinder Singh said, “The fire officials will conduct a mock drill as part of preparations for summer season.”
In 1990, a major fire tragedy in Gurmandi had killed over 100 people.