NEW DELHI: In a concerning development, Delhi’s largest public hospital, Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP), has failed to secure the renewal of its Fire Safety Certificate, with the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) flagging several critical violations during a recent inspection.
With summer temperatures rising and the risk of fire incidents increasing due to high electricity loads, the lapses have sparked serious concerns over the safety of thousands of patients and staff members at the hospital.
Key Fire Safety Violations Identified
The DFS inspection, conducted on March 25 and 26, along with officials from the Public Works Department (PWD), found multiple shortcomings across the hospital’s key blocks:
- Blocked Escape Routes: A staircase in the Surgical Block was obstructed with waste materials, severely compromising emergency evacuation routes.
- Inadequate Access for Fire Tenders: The mandatory six-meter-wide fire tender access road was not clearly provided near the Casualty OPD and Surgical Block; the Ortho Block route was blocked by parked vehicles and tree branches.
- Missing or Faulty Equipment:
- Hydrant boxes were missing essential hoses and branches.
- Manual Call Points (MCPs) were non-functional in the BL Taneja and MRD blocks.
- Basement smoke management systems were non-operational in multiple buildings.
- Public Address (PA) systems and fire check door closers were missing or dysfunctional in the OT, Ortho Block, and New Special Ward.
- The diesel engine was not set to auto-mode, impacting automatic emergency systems.
- Renovation-Related Risks: Several areas under renovation had disconnected or inactive fire safety systems, with officials noting that ongoing construction cannot justify the lack of basic preparedness.
Fire Safety Certification Denied
Based on these observations, the DFS concluded that the hospital was not in compliance with mandatory fire safety norms, and refused to renew its Fire Safety Certificate until full compliance is achieved.
A PWD official involved in the inspection stated:
“Renovation work is ongoing on several floors, but it doesn’t justify the lack of basic fire safety preparedness.”
Massive Footfall, Heightened Risk
LNJP, which handles over 5,000 patients daily across its OPD and IPD services, remains vulnerable in the absence of a valid fire clearance. The findings come less than a year after a tragic fire at a children’s hospital in Vivek Vihar, which claimed the lives of seven newborns due to similar safety violations.
Authorities have stressed the urgent need for systemic rectification of safety lapses and accountability from both hospital management and infrastructure departments.
