Ahmedabad garba events faced last-minute safety clearance delays on the opening day of Navratri, with only 35 to 40 of the 92 applications submitted by organisers receiving Fire No Objection Certificates by the afternoon, according to the Ahmedabad fire department.
The applications cover garba venues across Ahmedabad, including clubs, party plots and large open spaces along SG Highway, SP Ring Road and surrounding areas. Organisers must secure a Fire NOC before receiving the police permission required to conduct the events.
Mithun Mistry, the Ahmedabad Fire Brigade’s in-charge chief fire officer, told Divya Bhaskar that 92 applications had been received and that approvals had been issued for approximately 35 to 40 venues. He said some organisers had not yet completed the required safety work in accordance with fire regulations.
The fire department was expected to inspect the remaining venues and issue additional clearances until 5 pm on the first day of Navratri. The timing left several organisers waiting for permission shortly before events were scheduled to begin.
The report identified the Swarnim Nagari air-conditioned dome as having received approval after 11 pm the previous night. A garba event at singer Jigardan Gadhavi’s air-conditioned dome had not received a Fire NOC at the time of the report.
Officials from the police and fire departments had been working to complete the approval process quickly. Ahmedabad Police Commissioner Anupam Singh Gehlot held a meeting with organisers and sought to accelerate the process. However, the fire department said some organisers had not completed the required work at their venues, preventing clearances from being issued earlier.
Fire department sources cited in the report said around 30% of garba organisers on SG Highway and SP Ring Road were still awaiting Fire NOC approval. The clearance process covers safety requirements at venues that can draw large crowds, making the sequence of approvals significant for event operations.
Until a Fire NOC is issued, the police commissioner’s office does not grant permission for the Navratri garba event at that venue. Organisers can hold the events only after both approvals are completed. The fire department was expected to continue inspections through the evening, after which police permissions could be issued to venues that met the required conditions.
