Dozens Of Coaching Centres Sealed In Noida Ghaziabad Over Fire Safety Norms Post Lucknow Blaze

Around 60 establishments, a majority of them coaching centres, were sealed in Noida and Ghaziabad on Tuesday for flouting fire safety norms, as authorities across Delhi-NCR started inspections a day after a massive blaze at a coaching institute in Purnia of Aliganj in Lucknow left 15 people dead.

Officials said that while two illegal coaching centres were shut in Noida, 56 establishments, ranging from play schools to dispensaries, were sealed in Ghaziabad for failing to comply with fire safety norms. Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) officials said the specific number will have to be compiled from across eight zones.

GDA officials said they have compiled a list of 206 such establishments that lack fire no-objection certificates (NOCs). “During Tuesday’s drive, 56 violating establishments were sealed because they could not produce a fire NOC. Furthermore, we are sending communication to the fire department to initiate action as per fire safety norms. We are only checking only fire NOCs,” Rudresh Shukla, media coordinator of GDA, told HT.

In Noida, while the Om Education coaching centre in Sector 149 was found operating without a registration or fire safety certificate, another establishment in Sector 49 was found operating without a valid licence. They were both sealed and issued notice to appear before the district inspector of schools (DIOS) with relevant records and documents within two days.

“If the records are not submitted within the stipulated period or the required statutory formalities are not found to be complete, sealing action will also be taken as per rules,” an official statement from Gautam Budh Nagar administration said.

The management of Om Education centre was defiant, even after the sealing. When contacted, an official who answered the call, refusing to share his name or designation, said, “How many commercial buildings in Noida actually have a fire NOC? If you check markets such as Atta Market, you will find many establishments operating without one. Large brands, banks and other businesses are functioning from such premises. Why are only coaching institutes being targeted?”

Gautam Budh Nagar DIOS Chandra Shekhar said in a statement, “The campaign against coaching institutes operating without valid registration or mandatory safety standards will continue in the district.”

“Of the estimated 450 high-rise (over 15 metres in height) residential buildings, we have checked about 250 so far, and a total of 82 cases have been filed against violators in court. Checks at the high-rises will continue,” Ghaziabad chief fire officer (CFO) Rahul Pal .

Ghaziabad officials said that sealing and enforcement were taken up in Raj Nagar, Raj Nagar District Centre, Rajendra Nagar, Lajpat Nagar, Satyam Enclave, Ambedkar Road, among others, under the provisions of the UP Urban Planning and Development Act, 1973.

Peeyush Khandelwal writes on a range of issues in western Uttar Pradesh – from crime, to development authorities and from infrastructure to transport. Based in Ghaziabad, he has been a journalist for almost a decade.Read More