Virat Nagar fire prompts citywide crackdown on hazardous units in Ahmedabad

A day after a major fire gutted 18 shops inside Ahmedabad’s Vrajeshwari Complex at Virat Nagar, Municipal Commissioner Banchhanidhi Pani launched a sweeping administrative crackdown. On Wednesday, he pulled up Chief Fire Officer Amit Dongre for reaching the fire site nearly two hours late, telling him that as the head of the fire brigade, his first responsibility was to respond to emergencies without delay. Pani questioned why Dongre continued recruitment interviews even after being informed about the blaze, saying the process could have been paused.

Citywide survey ordered to seal unsafe units

Pani directed all zonal officials to complete a survey within 15 days of units storing flammable or hazardous materials and to seal any that violate safety norms. He warned that responsibility for future fire incidents would rest squarely on the respective deputy municipal commissioners. Officers from the Fire, Estate and other departments were told that negligence endangering human life would not be tolerated.

BU permissions and fire NOCs under scrutiny

The commissioner also reviewed the status of BU permissions and fire NOCs for hospitals and other high-risk buildings. Deputy estate officers from several zones failed to give clear updates, prompting Pani to question how such essential regulatory work could be so poorly monitored. When the Chief Fire Officer said notices had been issued to non-compliant buildings, Pani criticised the approach, likening it to “locking the stable after the horses have fled”.

Parking violations and infrastructure misuse reviewed

Traffic and parking issues were also examined. When officials said Ahmedabad had 99 flyovers, bridges and underpasses, the commissioner expressed dissatisfaction and ordered a verification exercise to determine how many such areas were being misused for free parking. He instructed that heavy penalties be imposed on anyone parking under bridges or on public roads in an unregulated manner, insisting that no city road should have chaotic or illegal parking.

Vrajeshwari Complex sealed after fire

Action at the Viratnagar site moved quickly. On Wednesday, the North Zone Estate Department sealed all 58 shops and offices in the Vrajeshwari Shopping Complex, including the 18 gutted in the fire. The building, near Viratnagar crossroads in Bapunagar, had been contentious since its construction, but no firm action had been taken until now. When asked about earlier steps, the Deputy Estate Officer said a notice had been issued regarding unsafe portions of the building. Unsatisfied, Pani questioned why he should not be suspended and ordered a show-cause notice.

When the zonal deputy municipal commissioner attempted to defend the estate officer, Pani stopped him, saying he should first demonstrate his own fitness for the post. By late evening, all three floors of the complex had been sealed—18 shops on the ground floor, 20 on the first floor and 20 on the second—marking a decisive response following the fire.