The devastating fire at a coaching centre in Lucknow's Aliganj area, which claimed 15 lives and left several others injured, has triggered swift action from authorities. In a major development, the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) has ordered the demolition of the building where the tragedy occurred, citing alleged violations of approved construction norms and safety regulations.
The LDA has directed the property owners to demolish the structure themselves. Officials have warned that if the owners fail to comply, the authority will undertake the demolition at its own level. The action comes amid growing public anger over alleged illegal construction and lapses in fire safety measures that may have contributed to the disaster.
According to LDA officials, the building was originally sanctioned as a residential structure on August 20, 2014, with an approved construction area of 1,992 square feet. However, subsequent inspections reportedly revealed irregularities in the construction. A case concerning unauthorised development was registered in 2016, leading to a demolition order issued on May 10 of that year.
The order was later withdrawn on July 5, 2016, after the owners argued that they had not been given a fair hearing and maintained that the construction adhered to the sanctioned plan. Following the recent fire tragedy, authorities have reopened scrutiny of the building and reinstated demolition proceedings.
The fire broke out on Monday at a coaching institute operating above a commercial establishment in the busy Aliganj locality. Witnesses reported scenes of panic as flames and thick smoke rapidly engulfed the premises, trapping several students inside. In desperate attempts to save themselves, some students reportedly jumped from the building.
Most of the victims, aged between 20 and 28 years, are believed to have died from suffocation caused by dense smoke rather than direct burns. The incident has reignited concerns over inadequate fire safety arrangements in educational institutions and commercial buildings across the state.
In response to the tragedy, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered a high-level investigation and constituted a two-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to determine the causes of the fire and identify those responsible. The SIT is headed by Additional Chief Secretary Amrit Abhijat and includes ADG Lucknow Zone Praveen Kumar. The team has been tasked with submitting its report within seven days.
Meanwhile, police have registered an FIR under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Uttar Pradesh Fire Service Act against four named individuals and other persons found responsible during the investigation. Three accused — Ramakrishna Upadhyay, Virendra Prasad Shukla, and Tushok Krishna Jaiswal — have already been arrested in connection with the case.
As investigations continue, the tragedy has once again highlighted the urgent need for strict enforcement of building regulations and fire safety standards to prevent similar incidents in the future.
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