BANGALORE: The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation’s (BMTC) complex at Shanthinagar houses government offices and business establishments. The BMTC has spent a considerable amount to install fire safety equipment. However, the BMTC is yet to appoint people for the maintenance of fire safety equipment worth more than `1 crore.The BMTC has its own security staff to keep a vigil on thieves. But there are no hose pipes to help firemen douse the fire in case of a fire mishap.A visit to the parking lot throws some light on the condition of the fire safety equipment. One can see damaged water sprinklers at the parking lot. As if that is not enough, no one is aware as to who is assigned to maintain the equipment. If you ask a security guard there about firemen, he directs you to a generator room. When contacted, Sabeena Begum, Assistant Traffic Manager, said that she was aware of the damaged water sprinklers. “I have asked the contractor to replace them immediately,” she said. Asked about missing hose pipes, she said that the hose pipes were kept in the store room to protect them from petty thieves. “The contractor is yet to complete the installation of fire safety equipment. Recently a demo was organised about the installation of fire safety equipment on this premises,” she said.The absence of fire safety measures at Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike’s commercial complex on J C Road is another example of the BBMP authorities’ negligence. The building is choked with various department’s waste dumped at any available space and needs immediate attention of the authorities.The only development in this building is the installation of a new electric panel at its entrance. The building houses various departments of the BBMP, a bank and a few shops. There is no provision for emergency exits.In the advent of a fire mishap, the staff have to depend on the stair case situated at one corner of the building for a safe exit. Question them on what happens if a fire mishap takes place at one of the offices situated near the stair case and the response is: “Only God can save us. We have none to think about our safety. There is no water supply here, forget about installing fire extinguishers,” says a BBMP official on condition of anonymity.Will the BBMP authorities take precautionary measures to avoid any fire mishaps in this building? Only time will tell.
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