GB Nagar begins fire safety audits across factories, hospitals

Amid rising temperatures and recent fire incidents, the Gautam Budh Nagar administration has intensified fire safety inspections across industrial units and hospitals in the district, officials said on Wednesday.

Acting on the directions of district magistrate Manish Kumar Verma, a special joint team has been constituted to physically inspect fire safety measures and ensure compliance with mandated norms in factories. The initiative aims to prevent industrial fires and mitigate their impact through proactive enforcement of safety protocols, officials added.

On Wednesday, the team conducted a physical inspection at a factory in plot 12, Udyog Vihar, Ecotech 2, Surajpur, as part of the campaign. The inspection assessed fire safety protocols, including alarm systems, fire extinguishers, emergency exits, and the unit’s overall emergency preparedness.

“In light of recent fire incidents, we are prioritising preventive action. Our inspections will focus on evaluating firefighting infrastructure, emergency preparedness, and response mechanisms within factories. Units found violating norms will face strict action,” said Chief Fire Officer of Gautam Budh Nagar, Pradeep Chaubey.

To be sure, the district has witnessed 350 blazes since January and March 2025.

City magistrate Vivekanand Mishra, who is leading the joint inspection team, said the drive will not be limited to a few units but will extend to all operational industrial setups in the district. “Our aim is to ensure that all industrial units strictly comply with fire safety norms. The joint inspection team has begun conducting on-ground audits, and any lapses will be reported to the DM. Timely corrective measures will be mandated to avoid any mishaps. In case of violation of safety norms, action will be taken under the relevant laws by the fire department, disaster management authority, and factory inspectorate,” Mishra said.

According to officials, any shortcomings identified during inspections will be documented and forwarded to the district magistrate. Factory management will be directed to rectify deficiencies at the earliest.

To be sure, Gautam Budh Nagar, which includes urban hubs like Noida and Greater Noida, is one of Uttar Pradesh’s leading industrial districts. It hosts over 12,000 registered manufacturing companies across sectors such as electronics, automotive, textiles, and pharmaceuticals, fire officials said. Key industrial areas include Sector 62, Sector 83, Ecotech Industrial Zones, and the Surajpur Industrial Area.

The joint inspection team is being led by city magistrate Mishra and co-chaired by chief fire officer Chaubey. It also includes officials from departments such as disaster management.

According to directions issued during a recent district health committee meeting, the fire department has been tasked with auditing fire safety arrangements in 64 hospitals with 50 beds or more. Hospitals will be evaluated based on a checklist including fire extinguishers, proper emergency exits, and signage.