Delhi High Court asks NGO to move a fresh plea over the July 4 Karol Bagh fire that killed two, saying flooding and fire incidents are distinct.
New Delhi: On July 9, the Delhi High Court has asked NGO Kutumb to file a fresh petition seeking a court-monitored investigation into the July 4 fire at a Vishal Mega Mart store in Karol Bagh, where two men lost their lives.
The direction came during a hearing in an ongoing case related to a separate incident of flooding in Old Rajinder Nagar, in which three UPSC aspirants tragically drowned due to a burst drain in the basement of a coaching institute earlier this month.
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A division bench of Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Anish Dayal made it clear that both the incidents—fire in Karol Bagh and flooding in Old Rajinder Nagar—are separate in nature and must be treated differently.
The bench said,
“File a separate petition. Cause of action different. In coaching case, it was flooding. Here it’s fire.”
The court further stated that since the two matters are unrelated, it would not be practical or appropriate to monitor them together, adding,
“It would be difficult for the court to monitor.”
The NGO had moved an application before the court highlighting the Karol Bagh fire incident, where two individuals were killed after a blaze broke out at a Vishal Mega Mart outlet located in a crowded part of central Delhi.
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The NGO raised serious concerns about the lack of enforcement of fire safety regulations and blamed the Vishal Mega Mart management, the Delhi Police, the Delhi Fire Services, and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) for negligence.
The petition questioned how licenses and no-objection certificates (NOCs) were being issued to large commercial establishments like shopping stores, coaching centres, and restaurants that are operating in densely populated areas without complying with fire safety and building norms.
It argued that authorities had failed to enforce mandatory safety protocols and regulations.
The plea asked the High Court to direct an investigation into the actions of officials from the MCD, Delhi Fire Services, and Delhi Police to find out whether they had neglected their responsibilities and allowed unsafe structures to operate.
It also demanded verification of whether Vishal Mega Mart and nearby commercial units in Karol Bagh held valid fire NOCs or were functioning illegally.
Additionally, the petitioner urged the court to order the immediate shutdown of all unlicensed commercial units—shopping centres, coaching institutes, eateries, etc.—in the Karol Bagh area and surrounding regions until a detailed status report is submitted.
The tragic fire incident took place on July 4 at the Vishal Mega Mart outlet in Karol Bagh.
Two men died in the blaze, which once again brought attention to the growing concern over commercial activity in congested areas of Delhi where fire safety norms are often ignored.
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