Fire-hit complex still a tinder-box

Fire-hit complex still a tinder-box

Many shops do not have fireextinguishers or sprinklers. Also, the garbage at the entrance can trigger a fire

Arunima Rajan



One year after a fire had destroyed the vegetable market of Jayanagar Shopping Complex, the area is still not so safe for shoppers. The garbage strewn near the entrance can act like a tinder-box. No steps have been taken to clear the garbage regularly before closure at night. Although there are four exits from the building, they are blocked by vehicles parked in a haphazard way. The complex, owned by the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, is one of the oldest and serves as a landmark.
It houses 292 shops of which 109 are located inside. The shopkeepers say the BBMP has not taken steps other than providing water connection inside the market. There are bookshops, tailoring shops, and garment shops inside the Fruit and Vegetable Market.
The market, opened in 1974, has multiple entrances and a high ceiling.
After the fire, the authorities had planned a major renovation of the building which included construction of a parking space and theatre. However, the authorities had not taken any steps in this direction, say shopkeepers. It is extremely difficult to walk through the narrow passages in the market. Many shopkeepers complain that they have not got power connection yet.
The BBMP charge a rent of Rs25 per sq metre. Many vendors, who could not afford this, have now moved to the footpaths and the entrances.
Many shops in the area do not have fire extinguishers or sprinklers. Some shopkeepers say the place has not been designed to handle so many visitors.
The indoor market has four entrances. All the pathways leading up to the four entrances are eternally lined with vendors making movement difficult for shoppers.
K Suresh, secretary of the Merchants Association of the complex, says "The authorities have not taken any steps other than providing water connection to the area. The BBMP has to take more steps to make the place safer."
BLG Rao, a regular visitor to the complex, says: "The BBMP authorities have not taken any steps to make the place safer. It's dark and dingy inside. There is no proper garbage disposal systemwhich explains its presence at the entrance. BBMP has not done anything other than rewiring. The neighbouring areas are becoming dirty due to accumulation of garbage."
K Nagaraju, assistant engineer of BBMP, says "The renovation of the shopping complex is under way. The discussion about the construction of multi-layer car parking and theatre is still going on. It has not yet been finalised. Once the project is completed, all the problems of the area will be solved." —Arunima Rajan