Mohali carnival ride crash: Joyride set up with just conditional permission, finds probe

The report has also flagged the validity of the safety certificate issued to organisers for the month-long carnival as it was further extended by 11 days

Around a month after a joy ride, the drop tower, came crashing down from a height of around 150 feet, injuring 10 people, the administration’s probe into the incident has revealed that the organisers had put up the carnival with only “conditional” permission.

The probe into the mishap that took place on the Dussehra Ground in Phase-8 on September 4 was led by an additional deputy commissioner(ADC)-level officer. (HT File)

The probe into the mishap that took place on the Dussehra Ground in Phase-8 on September 4 was led by an additional deputy commissioner(ADC)-level officer. A detailed report was submitted to the deputy commissioner (DC) – who will recommend action against those found guilty – on Wednesday. So far, the administration has not fixed the responsibility for the mishap on any official.

An official, privy to the report, said that the organisers had failed to acquire final approval for the carnival, London Bridge, which was supposed to end on August 31, but was extended till September 11.

“The organisers were granted permission subject to them fulfilling certain conditions, but they never returned to administration to avail the final permissions,” said the official, on condition of anonymity.

“Organisers cannot put up a carnival after availing conditional permission. After fulfilling the stipulated conditions, they must get their machines and safety measures inspected in order to avail the final nod,” he added.

The report has also flagged the validity of the safety certificate issued to organisers for the month-long carnival as it was further extended by 11 days.

A senior officer said the organisers were given a safety certificate, but it was only for a certain time period. “A safety certificate, if time-bound, cannot be considered valid beyond the deadline. If the carnival was to be extended, the organisers should have applied for permission again after getting the machines checked by officials,” he said.

Meanwhile, deputy commissioner Amit Talwar has directed the administrative officials concerned not to give permission for carnivals without carrying out proper scrutiny.

“If anybody books a venue to install swings or organises such an event in future, organisers will have to come back to us for final permissions after making the arrangements stipulated, while allotting them ‘conditional permission’. We will only give the nod after properly scrutinising all arrangements and testing the machines”, said a senior administrative officer.

Despite repeated attempts, DC Talwar remained unavailable for comments. Eyewitnesses had claimed that there was no ambulance on site, and they had to take the injured to the hospital themselves.