Lucknow Fire Tragedy: LDA to seal coaching centre at 4 PM today over safety, building violations
Lucknow, June 24
In the wake of the tragic fire incident in Lucknow's Aliganj area that claimed 15 lives, the Lucknow Development Authority has ordered the sealing of one coaching centre, which is part of a chain, with officials confirming that the institute will be sealed at 4 PM on Wednesday.
Students have been directed to vacate the building ahead of the sealing process. Authorities said preliminary findings have revealed multiple irregularities, including violations of the approved building plan.
The structure was reportedly sanctioned for office use, but was being operated as a coaching centre, officials said.
Officials further noted that the building had been constructed in violation of approved norms, raising serious safety concerns. "Students' lives were put at risk," officials said, pointing to lapses in safety compliance at the facility.
Meanwhile, the authority said the owners have been asked to submit their response within 15 days, failing which demolition proceedings will be initiated under the provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Urban Planning and Development Act.
"Bulldozer action to be taken against the illegal building involved in the Aliganj fire incident. Commercial activities were being conducted on premises sanctioned for residential use. Action has been initiated after construction was found to be in violation of the approved building plan," the LDA said.
The owner of the building, Virendra Shukla, was sent to 14 days' judicial custody after being produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) late on Tuesday night.
According to officials, Shukla had initially cited chest pain and heart-related illness to avoid arrest but was later declared medically fit after examination.
Further, the teams from the State Police, LDA and the fire department are conducting inspections of coaching centres across the area.
Speaking on the ongoing checks, CFO Lucknow Ankush Mittal told reporters, "The team is checking whether there are deficiencies in the coaching centres. The exits were not proper in Aliganj. We are inspecting all the coaching centres. We will seal the coaching centres if major deficiencies are found."
This comes after the fire had broken out in a three-storey building in Lucknow's Aliganj area on June 22, which housed a gaming and animation studio. Among the 15 people who lost their lives in the blaze were students, trainees, and staff members working at the studio.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Heartbreaking to see young lives lost like this. My nephew studies in a coaching centre near Aliganj, and my sister is now terrified. The government must ensure all centres have proper fire exits and safety audits before reopening. Students' safety cannot be compromised for profit. 🙏
The LDA and local authorities should have caught this earlier. Buildings change from office to residential to commercial overnight, and nobody checks. A proper inspection system before issuing approvals would save so many lives. But no, we only act after bodies pile up. Frustrating.
The owner initially pretending to have chest pain to avoid arrest is everything wrong with our system. Zero accountability until cornered. I hope the bulldozer action is swift, and all coaching centres in Lucknow get inspected thoroughly. Also, condolences to the families of the victims. 🌹
While the action is welcome, I worry this will become a pattern—tragedies, then strong statements, then things go back to normal. We need systemic change: mandatory fire safety audits every year for all coaching centres, clear building classifications, and severe penalties for violations. Until then, students are just sitting ducks.
Inspections focus on exits and safety, but what about those gaming studios? The fire started there, and such places often have wiring overloaded with electronics. Parents, please check where your children are studying. A coaching centre with no fire extinguisher or emergency plan is a death trap.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.