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Lucknow: Temporary ‘melas’ get the nod, but who checks amusement ride safety?
The issue comes ahead of the festive season, when several temporary fairs are expected across Lucknow. Swings, giant wheels and other rides are assembled at temporary sites and used by hundreds of visitors, including children. The accident has raised questions over whether their fitness is physically verified after permission is granted for a fair.
The lights of fairs are switched on, tickets are sold and crowds queue up for amusement rides, but who checks what happens before the first passenger takes a seat? An accident at a Sawan Mela in Indira Nagar has raised questions over the safety checks for temporary rides and the agency responsible for certifying them.
The issue comes ahead of the festive season, when several temporary fairs are expected across Lucknow. Swings, giant wheels and other rides are assembled at temporary sites and used by hundreds of visitors, including children. The accident has raised questions over whether their fitness is physically verified after permission is granted for a fair.
Two minor girls, aged 14 and 16, were injured at a Sawan Mela in Sector 8, Indira Nagar, on August 18. Police initially said a rod from a Ferris wheel fell and struck the girls. Both were taken to Sushma Hospital for treatment and were reported to be stable.
An FIR registered the following day on a complaint by the mother of the 14-year-old, however, gave a different account. The complaint alleged that the seat or bucket of the swing broke while it was in operation and that the broken part hit the girl’s face. It alleged that she suffered serious injuries, including broken teeth and injuries to her face and other parts of the body. The complaint also mentioned two other girls being injured, one of whom allegedly suffered a leg fracture.
The FIR was registered under Sections 289 and 125(b) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Sub-inspector Praful Kumar Yadav has been assigned the investigation, police said.
The FIR names the swing operator, organiser and others responsible for safety checks, alleging that proper fitness and safety checks had not been carried out before the ride was operated.
Departments differ over who checks ride fitness
The accident has also exposed a lack of clarity over the approval process involving the district administration and Lucknow police.
Ghazipur SHO RK Maurya said police grant permission for the fair’s layout and venue but do not approve individual amusement rides or their fitness. According to him, permission for swings and other rides is obtained separately from the district administration. He added that facilities such as a kitchen operating at the fair require clearance from the fire department.
Ajaz Rizvi, head property supervisor with the Husainabad Allied Trust (HAT), which currently has a fair operating near the Clock Tower ground, also said separate permission is required from the district administration for rides, including specifications such as their height.
However, Lucknow district magistrate Vishak G gave a different account. He told HT that the district administration does not separately grant permission for individual rides and indicated that if Lucknow police permit a fair to operate, they are expected to ensure the necessary checks of such rides.
The differing accounts raise a basic but crucial question: when a temporary fair opens its gates, who has physically verified that its rides are fit for use? For visitors stepping into these melas, the answer remains unclear.
