Prayagraj: Even as the fire department and the Prayagraj Development Authority (PDA) have intensified inspections of coaching centres and other educational institutions following the recent deadly fire incident in Lucknow, some of the city’s busiest commercial complexes continue to remain vulnerable.Indira Bhawan, Sangam Place in Civil Lines and Nehru Complex at Chowk — each of which has witnessed fire incidents in the past — still suffer from several critical fire safety deficiencies despite repeated warnings by the fire department.The continuing neglect has raised concerns over the preparedness of these high-footfall buildings, with experts warning that unless the shortcomings are rectified, the risk of another major tragedy cannot be ruled out.The three multistorey buildings house govt offices, commercial establishments and receive thousands of visitors daily.Indira Bhawan, which accommodates several govt departments along with commercial offices and shops, lacks essential firefighting facilities. While outdated hose reels require replacement, hose pipes are absent on several floors and staircases meant for emergency evacuation have been found obstructed by stored scrap material. The web of power cables is an open invitation for fire accidents. The PDA has its own office on the seventh and eighth floors of the building.Likewise, at Nehru Complex, firefighting equipment has remained either inadequate or nonfunctional. Previous inspections found several fire extinguishers lying defunct, while the basement lacked a functional fire alarm system and automatic sprinklers, severely compromising emergency response capabilities.However, despite repeated attempts, the chief fire safety officer, Prayagraj, was not available for comment.
