Single exit, height loophole, pending demolition order: Lucknow fire building’s long list of violations
Fifteen people were killed and nine others injured when a massive fire ripped through a coaching centre in Lucknow’s Aliganj area on Monday. Fire personnel conduct a dousing operation after fire broke out at a commercial building in Aliganj, Lucknow. (PTI) What initially appeared to be an accidental fire is now under scrutiny for a series of violations in the commercial building that authorities say had been ignored for years. ALSO READ | Building sealed, FIR registered, 15 dead: What we know and don’t about the Lucknow fire A residential building operating as a commercial hub The three-storey building on Usha Mehta Marg was originally approved for residential use. It was still functioning as a commercial establishment housing multiple businesses, including a pet shop, veterinary clinic, gaming zone, animation centre and an IT office. According to government records, the property was approved under a self-certification building plan scheme in 2014 for residential purposes. Authorities later detected unauthorised construction on the premises. The Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) then initiated proceedings against the owners and issued a …

