Ahmedabad
The Gujarat High Court criticized the Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) on Monday over the fire at the TRP game zone, which resulted in 27 deaths. The court expressed its lack of trust in the state machinery, which it accused of only acting after tragedies occur.
During a hearing of a suo motu PIL on the incident, the court questioned whether the RMC had ignored the construction of such a large structure in its area. The RMC’s lawyer admitted the game zone had not sought necessary permissions. Justices Biren Vaishnav and Devan Desai, part of a special bench, insisted that all municipal commissioners from the time the game zone was established in 2021 until the incident must be held accountable and provide affidavits.
The fire broke out in the Nana-Mava locality of Rajkot, killing 27 people, including children. Officials confirmed the game zone operated without a fire NOC (No Objection Certificate). The court, terming the incident a man-made disaster, called for immediate preventive and corrective measures, and stressed that drastic steps were needed.
The court highlighted that this was the sixth such incident in four years, criticizing the RMC for its inaction despite previous court orders. The court directed the current and past municipal commissioners to explain their actions and the fire safety measures in place.
