Anybody who has been to Burrabazar's markets have marvelled as to how the buildings are still standing. Take a lift in those architectural horrors and you feel scared that the whole place will come down any moment.
This was waiting to happen (remember the New Market fire some years back?). There is no maintenenance as much of the properties are litigated, the tenants don't care to repair or check the infrastructure as they are busy trading and making money, and the authorities are bribed to look the other way.
Every old market in the city is a hazard, and its fortunate that there have been no loss of life.
The tenants are today angry with the authorities. It is indeed shameful that a fire cannot be controlled in 72 hours. But a couple of questions, if I may: 1) The lack of fire fighting equipment and the state of what exists show lack of funds. If the tenants who are today hurt had paid their taxes, maybe the same money could have been used to maintain the equipment, that could have saved them. Will the business community in the city, which has made an art form out of evading its social responsibilities, learn from this, and pay their dues? 2) I am certain much of what is lost was insured. I will not be surprised, knowing the commerical thinking of the tenants of that area, if it comes out that they set the place aflame to claim damages. After all, these guys have been known for these stunts.
