After Goa nightclub blaze | Fire safety lapses: BMC serves notice to NSCI amid citywide inspections
In its letter to the National Sports Club of India, Mumbai Fire Brigade’s Divisional Fire Officer flagged several non-compliances within the NSCI premises.
Amid its ongoing inspection of the city’s eateries and bars prompted by the Goa nightclub blaze, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued a notice to the National Sports Club of India (NSCI) in Worli over lapses and non-compliance over fire safety measures within the premises. According to senior officials, the latest notice was served to the Mumbai club on December 19 over the “inadequacies and contravention regarding fire prevention and life safety measures noticed during inspection”.
In its letter to the National Sports Club of India, Mumbai Fire Brigade’s Divisional Fire Officer flagged several non-compliances within the NSCI premises. As per the notice, the inspection squad observed that the diesel operating pumps were found to be inoperational, while the water curtain in the basement was not found on auto mode.
Furthermore, officials flagged lapses in the way of scrap material stored in service duct and passageway, electric cable not sealed on floor level as well as leakages in the hose. During the inspection, MFB said that the Form B for the fixed fighting system within the admin building was not furnished.
Issuing the notice, the civic body has directed the NSCI to fix the lapses within 30 days of the notice while also calling the club members to submit the ‘B’ form from the licensing agency within seven days. The inspection was undertaken under the sub-section (1) of section 5 of the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act of 2006.
When contacted, Viren Shah, secretary of NSCI Mumbai said that all the compliances have now been adhered to. “There had been some small issues which had been adhered to. For us, fire safety comes first as well and we have taken corrective measures to adhere to the compliance. We have rectified all the errors as well as submitted the letter to the BMC today,” Shah told The Indian Express.
Ashwini Joshi, Additional Municipal Commissioner on Friday said that the notice comes as a part of the ongoing inspection across Mumbai’s eateries and bars. After the nightclub fire in Goa which claimed 25 lives brought to fore the lapses in the fire fighting systems, the BMC on December 23 kicked off a preemptive inspection of all the eateries as well as malls, which house restaurants.
“During the course of inspections, the MFB along with officials from the Building and Fire department are inspecting where all the fire fighting systems are operational, whether the establishments have made any changes to their structure, encroachments amongst other parameters of fire safety. In case of lapses, the teams are issuing directives on what corrective measures have to be taken,” said Joshi.
Nayonika Bose is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express’ Mumbai bureau. While in the early stages of her career, her focused reporting on local governance and community welfare already demonstrates clear Expertise and Trustworthiness in covering essential civic issues impacting Mumbai's residents.
Expertise & Authority (E-E-A-T)
Specialized Focus: Nayonika's reporting is dedicated to civic and community issues, providing readers with highly relevant, ground-level information about the functionality and administration of India's largest metropolitan area.
Core Coverage Areas: Her articles highlight a strong focus on the fundamental quality of life and public safety in Mumbai, including:
Civic Infrastructure: Reports on critical failures and initiatives related to public works, such as the recurring problem of unauthorized building collapses in Navi Mumbai, the construction of new infrastructure projects (like the Dahisar-Bhayandar Link Road and the Mahalaxmi cable-stayed bridge), and the maintenance of essential city services (e.g., manhole cover theft).
Urban Governance & Crisis Management: Provides detailed coverage of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) response to major crises, particularly during the monsoon (e.g., heavy rainfall, water cuts, and public health concerns like dengue and malaria) and large-scale public safety incidents (e.g., the hoarding collapse fallout).
Community Welfare & Rights: Reports on key social issues, including the financial aid scheme for persons with disabilities, the struggles of Mumbai's hawkers protesting eviction drives, and the dangers faced by workers due to the continuation of manual scavenging in water tanks.
Cultural & Heritage Reporting: Covers significant community stories, including the restoration of British-era fountains and the history of institutions like the 126-year-old Chinchpokli cemetery, showing a breadth of interest beyond pure administration.
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