A tank meant to store water to douse accidental fires has been pulled down, and the space is being
used to store construction material at the Jayanagar Shopping Complex.
Despite a fire incident in 2008 there, the authorities are slack about public safety in the bustling
market area.
A new building is coming up to house shops from the old vegetable market building, and some exits
of the complex have been blocked. The parking area has also been taken over for construction-
related activity.
In addition, vendors of various wares occupy the corridors and pathways, blocking movement of
both people and vehicles.
"In an application to the BBMP commissioner and deputy commissioner, the main point I made is
that it would be impossible for the shopkeepers and customers to escape in case of an untoward
incident," says Venkatesh K V, vice-president of the Jayanagar Shopping Complex Merchants'
Association.
Venkatesh, owner of Nagasri Book House, says even the fire extinguishing system that was installed
after the 2008 incident is now defunct.
"The tank meant to supply water to it has been pulled down to make space for storing construction
material," he says.
With products from the surrounding shops covering a good part of the corridor and exits from what
used to be the parking lot being blocked for the upcoming building, he feels business people's
safety is as much in jeopardy as that of the general public.
"If anything were to happen, there wouldn't be space left for people to move out of here," he says.
"We have approached the police and the BBMP commissioner over the past four to five years. In
fact, it was MLA Vijay Kumar who took us to meet the commissioner and deputy commissioner, who
have promised action, but we don't see any results," he adds.
B N Vijay Kumar, who represents the Jayanagar constituency, denies that the merchants'
association has discussed with him any problems save their allotment of shops in the upcoming
building. He says he did take the association to meet the BBMP joint commissioner. He has
promised to arrange a meeting with the higher authorities after the elections.
"The last time there was a fire it was an accident. For 20-30 years, nothing like that happened. I
don't wish for it to happen again," he says.
Quiz him further on the possibilities of such accidents recurring, and he promptly says, "In my
opinion, I don't think the construction work and a functional fire extinguishing system can co-exist
in the old building. In the new building, the shopkeepers will have all facilities."
used to store construction material at the Jayanagar Shopping Complex.
Despite a fire incident in 2008 there, the authorities are slack about public safety in the bustling
market area.
A new building is coming up to house shops from the old vegetable market building, and some exits
of the complex have been blocked. The parking area has also been taken over for construction-
related activity.
In addition, vendors of various wares occupy the corridors and pathways, blocking movement of
both people and vehicles.
"In an application to the BBMP commissioner and deputy commissioner, the main point I made is
that it would be impossible for the shopkeepers and customers to escape in case of an untoward
incident," says Venkatesh K V, vice-president of the Jayanagar Shopping Complex Merchants'
Association.
Venkatesh, owner of Nagasri Book House, says even the fire extinguishing system that was installed
after the 2008 incident is now defunct.
"The tank meant to supply water to it has been pulled down to make space for storing construction
material," he says.
With products from the surrounding shops covering a good part of the corridor and exits from what
used to be the parking lot being blocked for the upcoming building, he feels business people's
safety is as much in jeopardy as that of the general public.
"If anything were to happen, there wouldn't be space left for people to move out of here," he says.
"We have approached the police and the BBMP commissioner over the past four to five years. In
fact, it was MLA Vijay Kumar who took us to meet the commissioner and deputy commissioner, who
have promised action, but we don't see any results," he adds.
B N Vijay Kumar, who represents the Jayanagar constituency, denies that the merchants'
association has discussed with him any problems save their allotment of shops in the upcoming
building. He says he did take the association to meet the BBMP joint commissioner. He has
promised to arrange a meeting with the higher authorities after the elections.
"The last time there was a fire it was an accident. For 20-30 years, nothing like that happened. I
don't wish for it to happen again," he says.
Quiz him further on the possibilities of such accidents recurring, and he promptly says, "In my
opinion, I don't think the construction work and a functional fire extinguishing system can co-exist
in the old building. In the new building, the shopkeepers will have all facilities."
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