Bhopal Municipal Corporation Fire Engine Navigates Crowded New Market

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) conducted a fire safety mock drill in New Market on Thursday to assess emergency response preparedness during peak shopping hours. The exercise involved dispatching a fire engine to designated locations to check access on the second day of the drill, while the anti-encroachment squad seized obstructing items and fined shopkeepers.

The exercise follows a fire incident in New Market on Oct 8, after which municipal teams have been visiting the area daily to remove encroachments.

A team led by fire officer Saurabh Patel identified specific locations and simulated a fire emergency by reporting it to the fire station while posing as ordinary citizens. Officials recorded the time taken by the fire engine to reach the New Market gate.The crowd was then cleared to facilitate the vehicle's entry. Wherever the fire engine encountered obstructions, the anti-encroachment squad seized the items blocking its path.

Tables placed outside shops were confiscated, fines were imposed on shopkeepers, and domestic gas cylinders were seized from hotels.

Traders clash with BMC team in Chowk

Meanwhile, a dispute broke out between traders and the municipal anti-encroachment squad in Chowk Bazaar in the Old City over the seizure of goods placed outside shops. A video of the altercation has gone viral on social media. The BMC claims the incident occurred four to five days ago.

The video shows sanitation worker Mahesh Gauhar, officially responsible for anti-encroachment operations in the North Assembly constituency, standing at a distance as the dispute continues between traders and senior official Shailendra Bhadauria. Gauhar said he was some distance away during the altercation and was unaware of the reason behind the dispute.