Visited by thousands, 20 key govt buildings in Chandigarh play with fire
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Chandigarh: Despite housing some of the region's most powerful offices and receiving thousands of daily visitors, nearly 20 major government buildings in Chandigarh are operating without mandatory fire safety certificates (FSC), a glaring lapse that puts lives at risk.
These buildings belong to the central government, Chandigarh administration, Punjab and Haryana governments, and include the Punjab and Haryana high court, Vidhan Sabhas, civil secretariats, and even premier medical and educational institutions like PGIMER, Panjab University, and GMCH in Sectors 32. Shockingly, even the municipal corporation's own building is on the list.
These are not obscure structures tucked away in corners of the city.
They are high-footfall, high-importance institutions where ministers, judges, bureaucrats, and the public converge daily. Yet, fire safety norms, meant to be non-negotiable, have been treated with alarming casualness.
Recent fire incidents at the Punjab and Haryana High Court, PGIMER, and Panjab University should have served as wake-up calls. Fortunately, no casualties occurred. But all three buildings are among those operating without valid FSCs.
Sources in the municipal corporation (MC) revealed a pattern of negligence: in some cases, FSC applications are pending due to unresolved discrepancies; in others, certificates have expired and were never renewed. Worse still, many authorities haven't even applied for certification. The MC has issued notices, but compliance remains sluggish.
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