Security at hospitals and schools will be trained to deal with emergencies.
The BMC chief's decision came after a fire broke out at the GST Bhavan in Mazagaon, gutting the 9th and 10th floors
At a review meeting held between Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation commissioner Praveen Pardeshi and fire officials this week, it was decided that the fire and electrical department would conduct audits of all municipal properties.
As per the plan, all civic buildings, including hospitals, schools and ward offices along with other office buildings will be audited. The fire department will also carry out evacuation drills, which were not being done until now.
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The development came after a fire broke out at the GST Bhavan in Mazagaon. The fire had spread rapidly across the ninth and 10th floors, destroying thousands of files. While no one was injured in the incident, it raised concerns about the safety of visitors and employees inside government offices.
Praveen Pardeshi, the commissioner of BMC
One of the officials, who was present at the meeting, said that the commissioner had asked to thoroughly check all the fire safety installations such as extinguishers, jackets and risers, and also asked to inspect whether the fire exits were accessible. "He also ordered that action be taken if fire exits are blocked," said the official.
The mechanical and electrical department of the BMC too has been asked to audit the wirings, so as to avoid any kind of short circuit. There is a huge footfall at hospitals every day and so, municipal as well as private security will be given lessons on how to handle emergencies.
"Evacuation drills will be carried out inside the offices. Security officials at hospitals and schools will also have to participate in these drills," sources revealed. When contacted, the Chief Fire Officer confirmed this.
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