NAGPUR: Following a significant fire that destroyed the ground floor of a commercial-residential building containing Reliance Fresh Mart at Aath Rasta Chowk, Laxmi Nagar, senior officials from the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) visited the site on Wednesday to initiate an inquiry into potential unauthorized constructions and fire safety violations.
Additional Commissioner Vaishnavi B and Deputy Commissioner Milind Meshram, who is also overseeing the Laxmi Nagar zone, assessed the damaged building and spoke with residents and firefighters. Their visit comes amid rising concerns regarding encroachments in the basement and parking area, where the fire reportedly began.
According to sources, the building, developed by Akshit Naik, consists of 10 floors, including four commercial levels. The ground and basement were acquired by a different owner and subsequently leased to Reliance Fresh Mart.
Officials are currently reviewing ownership and usage patterns on these floors to confirm compliance with building permissions and fire safety codes.
Vaishnavi B confirmed that they have requested the original building plan and occupancy details from the builder and housing society. “We’ve obtained the layout plan and instructed the local engineer to check if the current structure aligns with the approved design,” she stated.
Meshram added that an investigation will proceed according to Supreme Court directives on unauthorized constructions, with follow-up actions based on the comparison between approved plans and actual site conditions. “The zonal engineer has been directed to conduct a thorough inspection and report any discrepancies,” she noted.
There are suspicions that modifications may have taken place in the basement and ground floor, including the creation of an underground storage area, which residents claim is illegal. These changes allegedly obstructed the fire exit, complicating rescue efforts during the blaze that took firefighters nearly 10 hours to control.
Given the fire’s duration and extreme heat, civic engineers have stressed the importance of a comprehensive structural audit of the entire building before allowing any reoccupation. This audit will assess potential damage to supportive columns, beams, and slabs to ensure the safety of the 24 flats and 18 families living above.
The audit report, along with the fire compliance review, will dictate further actions, ranging from repair instructions to possibly sealing off unsafe areas.
“The structure has experienced severe thermal stress for an extended period,” remarked a senior structural engineer. “Both concrete and steel can lose strength when exposed to prolonged heat. A detailed audit is crucial to certify the building’s stability.”
Fire officials have also pointed out the malfunctioning sprinkler system and blocked evacuation routes as major safety issues. Civic sources indicated that the findings from both structural and fire compliance audits will inform potential penalties, including the revocation of occupancy certificates or legal actions against those responsible for violations.
