Jaipur Heritage Market Fire Exposes Safety Gaps

• Fire broke out around 7 am; no casualties were reported.
• Firefighters reportedly found installed hydrants dry and inoperative.
• Narrow lanes delayed access for fire engines and firefighting crews.
• Traders alleged repeated complaints over safety arrangements went unaddressed.

GG News Bureau
Jaipur, 19th Sept: A fire broke out at Purohit Ji Ka Katla near Badi Choupad in Jaipur’s Parkota Bazar on Thursday morning, with the blaze taking around four hours to bring under control and raising concerns over fire-safety preparedness at the heritage market.

The fire started around 7 am, around 100 metres from the iconic Hawa Mahal. No casualties were reported. The market is normally crowded with thousands of shoppers and tourists during the day, raising concerns about the potential consequences had the fire occurred during peak hours.

Firefighting operations were reportedly hampered by the condition of the market’s firefighting infrastructure. Equipment installed by the municipal corporation around three-and-a-half years ago at a reported cost of ₹4 crore was found switched off and inoperative, according to officials at the site. Fire personnel also reported that the hydrants were jammed and dry.

With the market’s narrow and old lanes unable to accommodate fire tenders, firefighters had to bring hoses from outside and manually lay pipelines to reach the affected area, adding to the time required to contain the blaze.

An inspection at the site reportedly found rusted and sealed hydrants and tangled hoses. Some traders had also placed clothes and bags over hydrants, indicating that the firefighting systems had not been regularly used.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. Initial indications suggest that a short circuit at a shop may have triggered the blaze.

Trader Rajiv Kumar Jain said he owned five shops in the market and claimed goods worth around ₹2.5 crore were destroyed in the fire. He questioned the municipal corporation’s responsibility for maintaining fire-safety infrastructure, citing the taxes paid by traders.

Kamal Kishore Pitalia, president of the Purohit Ji Ka Katla traders’ association, said traders had repeatedly raised concerns about the firefighting arrangements with the municipal corporation but alleged that no effective action was taken.

Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot visited the market and met affected traders. He called for action over alleged lapses and urged the government to inspect fire-safety systems at similar heritage and commercial sites.

Gehlot also said he had been informed that municipal officials had issued No Objection Certificates (NOCs) under pressure from BJP leaders. The allegation could not be independently verified from the information available.

The fire has renewed questions over emergency preparedness in Jaipur’s historic walled-city markets, where congested lanes, dense commercial activity and heritage structures can make firefighting operations particularly challenging.