Rajkot Gaming Zone Was Operating Without NOC, Safety Measures

The FIR in the play zone fire tragedy stated that Rajkot TRP gaming zone“s operators never applied for the fire NOC, nor did they have any fire safety equipment in the zone. A three-storey building in a temporary structure was set up without proper safety mechanisms. Meanwhile, a special bench of the Gujarat high court on Sunday took suo motu cognizance of the fire incident, which left 33 persons including 9 children dead, and said it was prima facie a “man-made disaster.” The bench of Justices Biren Vaishnav and Devan Desai observed that gaming zones and recreational facilities have been established without the required approvals from competent authorities.

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, along with Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi, inspected the Rajkot TRP gaming zone on Sunday. Visuals from the spot showed the Chief Minister and the Home Minister taking stock of the area along with their team.

Security personnel have also been deployed at the Civil Hospital in Rajkot, where those who were injured in yesterday”s fire incident have been admitted.

The gaming zone, called TRP, was packed with visitors due to a weekend discount offer with tickets priced at just ₹99. It is suspected that the fire might have started due to a short circuit, but officials said that the exact cause will be known only after a probe.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday morning announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from Prime Minister”s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000, as per a statement released by the Prime Minister”s Office.