Ahmedabad’s fire department has approved only three of 60 applications submitted for Garba events ahead of Navratri, with organisers required to fully comply with safety rules before receiving a No Objection Certificate (NOC). Navratri celebrations in the city are scheduled to begin on October 11.
The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation’s Fire and Emergency Services Department is currently inspecting event sites, including domes and party plots, to verify whether the proposed ground arrangements meet the prescribed safety standards. Officials are examining applications on the condition that organisers complete 100 per cent compliance with the applicable rules.
The department is expected to issue more NOCs by Saturday or Sunday, according to the report. However, approval will depend on the outcome of physical inspections being carried out by teams led by additional and deputy chief fire officers.
This year, Ahmedabad has seen a higher number of Garba events planned in covered air-conditioned domes. The fire department has identified specific risks in such enclosed venues, including short circuits, fire emergencies and the possibility of crowd surges during evacuation. To address these risks, organisers must comply with 30 safety requirements.
The requirements include a centralised fire-safety system, emergency exit gates and roads wide enough for fire tenders to enter the venue. The department is checking whether these arrangements exist in the actual site setup rather than relying only on submitted plans.
Organisers who do not meet all the fire-safety requirements will not receive an NOC. The permission can also be cancelled later if organisers fail to follow the guidelines issued by the police department for Navratri events. Police approval will be mandatory after fire-safety clearance, making the final permission process dependent on compliance with both departments.
The approval process is more extensive than the number of fire NOCs issued so far may suggest. Last year, more than 50 applications for small, large and commercial Garba events were submitted to the Ahmedabad police and fire departments. Around 25 to 30 major or commercial organisers received final permission after meeting safety, police-bandobast and fire-safety requirements.
The current inspections place the focus on how temporary event infrastructure is designed and operated during a period when large crowds gather in enclosed and open venues across the city. For organisers, obtaining an application acknowledgement will not be enough to begin operations; the physical site, evacuation provisions, firefighting systems and access for emergency vehicles must satisfy the departments’ requirements.
The fire department’s site inspections are continuing, while the remaining applications are being processed. Final permissions will be issued only after organisers complete the required fire and police approvals.
