Dwarka: Cooking in corridors making markets prone to fire

Dwarka: The recent incident of fire in Mundka raises the question about how safe commercial complexes actually are? Everyday, commercial complexes and buildings host several office goers. However, how pronesuch places are to fires is a question people need answers to.

In a series of stories that CitySpidey has been carrying out, we bring forth how markets in sub-city like Dwarka are unsafe and vulnerable to fire. In the same series, this time we talk about how the ground floor shops and corridors are being used for open cooking with big burners without any license or safety measures and in violation of all fire safety norms.The corridors of the markets are made for the visitors to walk, however, they have been in use for cooking by some small restaurant owners and food vendors. Cooking food in big burners using boiling oil and other such practices make the corridors unsafe for pedestrians.

PK Mishra, a resident of Sector 4 Dwarka, says, "The Sector 4 market and Sector 12 market are worst sufferers due to such cooking in open corridors. The practice has become very common. No one even thinks that how dangerous the practice can be." In the past, some fire incidents have happened due to cooking in open premises. One such incident happened in an eatery at Sector 10 market.

Also read | Fire Safety in Dwarka societies: a worrying state of affairs

A few years back, an inspection was done by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Municipal Corporation and also the Delhi Jal Board regarding the encroachment by eateries in Sector 10 market. The practice of cooking in corridors of the premises and also the backside ofthe market was found to be vrey common in the market, which according to the guidelines of Municipal corporation and DDA, is not allowed. Similarly, in the markets of Sector 12, the whole premises and corridors were found to be in use for cooking and dining. Even today the situation is the same. Small eateries have captured the space in corridors and using it for their interest.

Rashmi Singh, a resident of Sector 12, Dwarka says, "Everybody knows about such practices but no one takes any action. I don't understand that if cooking in not allowed in the open spaces in market premises, how is the practice still going on. Authorities concerned must ensure a stop of such practice as soon as possible."

"The use of gas cylinders and stoves in open is not safe. These activities are in the knowledge of authorities, however, still no one takes any acion. It is surprising how the law makers are supporting the law breakers," says SK Sharma, a resident of Sector 10, Dwarka.

According to a DDA official, no one is allowed to cook at ground floor in MLUs(mixed land use markets). On the condition of anonymity, he says, "No one is authorised to cook on the ground floor and that too, in open corridor. This can lead to a disaster like fire in the market."