Deshmukh, Pawar make surprise visit to Fashion Street, seek further reports

Pune district collector Rajesh Deshmukh has ordered the tehsildar, police and the Pune Cantonment Board (PCB) to prepare their individual departmental reports on the Fashion Street fire case to be put up before deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar on Friday where he is expected to issue directions to the effect

Pune district collector Rajesh Deshmukh has ordered the tehsildar, police and the Pune Cantonment Board (PCB) to prepare their individual departmental reports on the Fashion Street fire case to be put up before deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar on Friday where he is expected to issue directions to the effect.

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Deshmukh said that Pawar carried a surprise visit at the spot with him and took stock of the situation.

Pawar along with collector Deshmukh held a surprise visit to the Fashion Street and interacted in detail with the stall holders. Over 600 shops were completely gutted after a major fire broke out at the famous Fashion Street market in the Camp area of Pune late on Friday night.

Deshmukh said “I visited the Fashion Street with deputy chief minister today evening and it was a surprise visit. I have directed the PCB, a tehsildar and the police to submit their individual reports regarding the fire incident by Friday when I will be briefing the deputy chief minister about the reports. Deputy chief minister Pawar will issue directions after we submit our reports to him. There are issues related to some court cases, PCB issuing notices and other legalities. The area where the market was located belongs to PCB. The details regarding further course of action regarding rehabilitation and compensation will be decided by the deputy chief minister.”

It is learnt that PCB officials will be meeting Deshmukh on Friday. PCB CEO Amit Kumar could not be reached for comments.

While there were no casualties in the blaze, the head of the Pune Cantonment Board’s (PCB) fire department Prakash Hasabe was killed in a road accident while returning home after dousing the fire.

The iconic Fashion Street adjacent to MG road was a famous `window shopping’ destination that houses small outlets selling garments, shoes, goggles and other accessories. There were 448 registered shops and over 200 unauthorised outlets located in the market.

The clothes and other material in the market were gutted in fire, and it took six hours for the fire brigade to douse the blaze completely using 45 water tankers. The cause of what triggered the fire has yet not been ascertained.

Even though the market was shut, the fire brigade had a tough time negotiating the narrow lanes, which were encroached and had vehicles haphazardly parked.

The PCB administration in a statement stated , “There is no cantonment electricity connection and all stallholders obtained electricity connections from MSEDCL. The cantonment has only provided street lighting in the parking area. Some stallholders have taken electricity connections through one common connection of the MSEDCL, and others have taken individual connections. The board has not issued any No Objection Certificate (NOC) for obtaining electricity connection for MSEDCL.”

According to the Pune Cantonment Board (PCB), a report was submitted in 2018 highlighting the “risk” of similar incidents and possible difficulty to deal with it at Fashion Street due to the congested nature of the area.

The joint fire audit report submitted by the chief fire officer, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), and the fire brigade superintendent of PCB was discussed at the special board meeting held in 2018 under the chairmanship of the then PCB president brigadier Rajiv Sethi. The audit report says the market does not have sufficient exit points in case there is a fire and people will have to be evacuated.

Fashion Street Traders Association urges PCB to allow only 448 persons to conduct trade

The MG road hawkers and Pathari Seva Sangh has maintained that the said market was started originally for only 448 hawkers as per the compromise between PCB and the hawkers’ union.

MV Akolkar, advocate said that only 448 hawkers are authorised as per court order and have petitioned PCB in this regard.

In the current circumstances, if the board wants then the unauthorised hawkers numbering 121 who have occupied other spaces may be shifted to other locations. Those who are carrying out trade illegally must not be allowed to carry out business at the current location .Only 448 traders must be allowed to start business again, he said.