Dehradun, known across the region as an ‘education hub’, is home to thousands of students who study day and night chasing a better future. Yet many of the buildings they sit in could turn into the scene of a major tragedy at any moment. The city currently has roughly 200 to 300 coaching centres, and a large number of them operate with their safety standards completely ignored. After the recent fire in Lucknow, worries about the safety of these centres have only deepened.
Tucked into the main markets and narrow lanes of the city, these institutes often lack proper ventilation and have no reliable emergency exits. In many places, the large advertising boards and banners fixed across windows and rooftops have blocked even the paths for air and light. On top of that, the tangle of electric wires hanging outside these centres has multiplied the danger. In a fire or any other emergency, getting safely out of these buildings would be a serious challenge in itself.
Tight lanes and a single way out
Most of the coaching centres running in key areas of Dehradun such as Dharmpur and Karanpur sit in extremely tight, narrow lanes. Several institutes operate out of cramped, rundown spaces where there is just one narrow passage serving as both entry and exit. That means if a fire breaks out or a stampede begins, students will have no second route to escape.
Fire safety in name only
The rules require every coaching centre to have full, solid fire prevention arrangements and equipment. The ground reality is the exact opposite. In these Dehradun centres, even the most basic features like water sprinklers and fire alarms are missing, an open invitation to a major accident.
What the fire department says
According to Dehradun Chief Fire Officer (CFO) Abhinav Tyagi, a sustained drive on fire safety has been running across the city since the start of the fire season. Department teams are closely inspecting coaching institutes, hotels and other commercial buildings. He said that just last month, a safety audit was carried out on more than 200 buildings in the city. Any institute or building found not meeting safety standards faced strict action, and the fire NOC of several rule-breaking institutes was even cancelled. The administration has made it clear that no institute that gambles with students' safety will be spared.
