Chandigarh, July 12: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the state governments of Punjab and Haryana, alongside the Union Territory of Chandigarh, to submit a comprehensive status report regarding fire safety protocols across schools and coaching centres. Power distribution corporations, including the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited and the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited, have also been looped into the directive, with a strict compliance deadline set for August 10.
The judicial intervention stems from a public interest litigation initiated by advocate Kanwar Pahul Singh following alarming safety revelations in June. Surprise checks carried out by the municipal corporation’s fire and rescue services department in Chandigarh’s Sector 34 educational hub exposed severe infrastructural hazards. Fire inspectors discovered crowded basement classrooms operating against building regulations, iron grills blocking emergency windows, and a complete absence of emergency exit signage at major institutes.
Furthermore, checking teams noted that premier institutes—including Helix, Allen, Sri Chaitanya Academy, Narayana, and PW Vidyapeeth—suffered from significant equipment failures. Fire alarms and hydrant systems were found locked up or completely broken, with many venues operating out of single-access points that restricted emergency entry and exit. The local enforcement drive was initially ordered in the wake of a tragic coaching center fire in Lucknow.
The petitioner argued that regional administrations are failing to enforce binding apex court mandates that require all educational facilities to meet the National Building Code before securing official affiliation. The litigation also called for immediate surveys to identify schools and commercial centers operating under high-tension electric lines to mitigate hazardous electrical risks.
“The Supreme Court has already directed states and union territories to ensure that schools comply with the national building code,” the legal petition stated. “Existing schools were ordered to install fire-extinguishing equipment within six months.”
Prior to the High Court order, the human rights commissions of Punjab and Chandigarh had already stepped in independently. The oversight bodies issued directives to regional administrators to inspect safety certifications and penalize non-compliant coaching hubs.
“The enforcement of fire safety norms must be handled immediately,” a senior judicial official declared regarding the upcoming reports. “Establishments failing to secure official fire safety clearances cannot be permitted to compromise student safety.”
