Nearly two months after a huge fire tore through a mall at Mumbai Central, triggering a 56-hour firefighting operation, one of the longest in the city, the BMC has demolished more than 700 unauthorised shops on the premises.
A major fire had broken out at the City Centre mall in South Mumbai on October 22. Pic/Atul Kamble
Nearly two months after a huge fire tore through a mall at Mumbai Central, triggering a 56-hour firefighting operation, one of the longest in the city, the BMC has demolished more than 700 unauthorised shops on the premises.
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While there was no loss of life due to the blaze on October 22, the fire brigade had rescued 300 people from the site. The fire had exposed the presence of too many illegal units at the shopping centre.
Officials from D ward completed the five-day exercise last week amid police presence. The fire had broken out on the second floor of the mall. Officials said they have razed illegal shops on the ground and first floors. It is one of the major demolition drives in the recent past. Sources said about 1,000 shops had come up inside the mall without BMC's permission.
This is an all too familiar story in fire mishaps in the city, where we notice an unfortunate pattern. Illegal structures are allowed to sprout inside buildings. Action is taken only after a mishap occurs. Then we have the predictable committees set up, scapegoats found because somebody has to be punished for the fire.
The incident referenced is that of a mall. Yet, it can be any public or even private infra, with illegal works inside. Entrances blocked because of shops, illegal parking narrowing access, dangerous goods stored in a hazardous manner, we have seen this all.
Take stringent action now and do not wait for accidents. Tackle rule-breakers with will and focus. The accent should be on working before an event occurs and not scurrying around after, trying to right the wrongs.
The fact that all these structures are allowed to take root and flourish in the first place points to the rot that has seeped into the system. Remove it from the roots itself.
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