Two major fire tragedies in just three weeks have shocked and saddened the nation. First New Delhi, then Lucknow — which city will be next? Is there no escape from such a death trap for hapless citizens across the country? The Lucknow blaze that snuffed out 15 lives was ignited by criminal negligence and corruption. Students chasing careers and dreams died inside a building that had no business functioning as a commercial establishment. The details are chilling: a three-storey premises operating with a single entry and exit point; no emergency staircase; no smoke ventilation system; flammable material crammed into lower floors; a biometric locking system that jammed during the power failure, trapping victims inside a smoke chamber.
All this was not unforeseeable. In 2016, the authorities had issued a demolition order against the building for illegal construction — but it was suspiciously revoked within weeks. That U-turn became a death warrant signed years in advance. The fresh demolition notice issued on Tuesday is nothing but a belated admission of administrative failure. This tragedy is even more unforgivable because it comes on the heels of Delhi’s Malviya Nagar guesthouse fire, which revealed the same deadly pattern of illegal commercial operations and blatant disregard for fire safety. Every disaster is followed by raids, suspensions, inquiries and the grant of compensation. Then the outrage dies down, files gather dust and it’s back to business as usual.
The rot runs deep in urban India — the nexus between builders and officials turns residential neighbourhoods into hazardous commercial hubs. Rules exist on paper; accountability is conspicuous by its absence. Suspending a few officials and arresting the owners will not be enough unless criminal liability becomes the norm. What’s direly needed is a system that values human life over convenience, profit and bureaucratic compromise. Until that happens, India’s cities will remain ticking time bombs.
