KOCHI: Broadway is the commercial hub of Kochi. But, contrary to what the name suggests, the roads are narrow, congested and packed with vehicles parked illegally on either side of the busy street. The dangers of this became evident when the packed street prevented timely intervention of the Fire and Rescue Services when a fire broke out in one of the shops. According to the officers, the fire tenders had rushed to the spot but their operations were delayed by at least half an hour due to the narrow street.
Only two or three fire tenders were able to enter the area. These fire tenders had to be refilled with water using long water pumps from the vehicles parked on the perimeter. According to traders, they had alerted the Fire and Rescue Services by around 10 am but the first unit reached the spot only by 10.30 am.
Kerala Merchants’ Chamber of Commerce general secretary K P Sageer said, “Fire engines found it difficult to reach the spot through these narrow roads. It was the labourers who cleared the vehicles to make way for the rescue squads. We have been requesting the Corporation to take stringent steps to address these issues. But everything remained as hollow promises and resulted in the tragedy.”
Regional Fire Officer, Ernakulam, KK Shiju said that the narrow lane became a hindrance. “The fire tenders were lined up one after another as there was limited space for the vehicles to move,” he added. Besides narrow lanes, the dangling cables and wires strung up from every electricity pole and lamp post also gave a tough time for the fire-fighters. Once the fire engines reached, the traders and the people present in the market joined hands with the fire force personnel to douse the fire.
Kochi Mayor Soumini Jain, who visited the spot, said the encroachment of the pathways and illegal developments carried out by the traders in front of the shops were to be blamed for the mishap. “The Corporation needs the cooperation of the traders to curb the illegal practices and violations in the city,” she said.
Broadway a ticking time bomb?
Kochi: Broadway will be a ticking time-bomb if things remain as they are. Encroachments and rampant building modifications pose a threat to this commercial hub. Mayor Soumini Jain said buildings located inside the Broadway market have violated building rules.
“Several buildings at Broadway have violated the building rules. They have changed the building plan without approval. In most cases, they have converted the shops after getting an occupancy certificate from the corporation. If some building owners converted the shops into a warehouse, others created space for godown by converting the staircase space. In case of fire accidents, it will be difficult for the fire fighting team to evacuate people,” the Mayor said.