Fire, death, probe, silence: Magisterial inquiries are Delhi’s official way of moving on
Every government that has ruled Delhi has ordered a magisterial inquiry after a major fire. Not one report has ever been placed in the public domain.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday visited Max Hospital in Saket to meet people injured in the devastating Malviya Nagar hotel fire, a day after the tragedy claimed 21 lives and left several others hospitalised.
The blaze broke out on Wednesday at a hotel in South Delhi’s Malviya Nagar area that was allegedly operating without a valid Fire No Objection Certificate (NoC), triggering a probe into possible lapses.
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Chief Minister Gupta has already sought a detailed report from South Delhi District Magistrate Lakshay Singhal and said accountability would be fixed if negligence or violations were found to have contributed to the disaster.
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Her visit to the hospital also comes against the backdrop of criticism from the Opposition, which has questioned why she did not visit the fire site immediately after the tragedy.
The Chief Minister, however, expressed condolences to the families of those who died and assured support for the injured and their relatives.
“Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of lives in the devastating fire incident in Malviya Nagar. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for the speedy recovery of those injured and for strength and courage to all those affected by this heartbreaking tragedy,” Gupta said in a statement.
According to the Chief Minister, emergency response teams, including Delhi Fire Services, Delhi Police, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) and CATS Ambulance Services, were mobilised immediately after information about the fire was received.
She said rescue teams evacuated several people from the affected premises and that the government was monitoring the situation closely.
“Delhi Government is closely monitoring the situation. All necessary medical assistance and support are being extended to the affected families. In this hour of grief, the Delhi Government stands firmly with the affected families. We remain committed to providing every possible support to those impacted by this tragedy,” she said.
Authorities are continuing their investigation into the cause of the fire and the hotel’s compliance with mandatory safety norms.
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