Stadium that hosted hockey World Cup was not fire safe

New Delhi: A startling revelation has exposed India’s disaster management preparation. The recently concluded International Hockey Federation World Cup, held at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in the national capital, did not have a fire clearance.

Fortunately, the event was accident-free. Otherwise, it would have been a big embarrassment for the Sports Authority of India (SAI).

The fire department had reportedly expressed displeasure and alerted SAI about the situation at the stadium, but it chose to ignore the warning.

While accepting that the sports event did not have a clearance, fire department chief RC Sharma said, “Last-minute changes were made at the venue. The staircases inside were not of appropriate width that could have borne the rush of spectators in case of a fire emergency. There were other things as well. We have informed the concerned authorities about these lapses.”

Instead of providing staircases that meet fire safety norms, they had created two ramps.

The mega event was held in India after 28 years. The stadium at India Gate was turned into a fortress. A crowd of 10,000 was guarded by over 6,000 paramilitary and police personnel, including special commandos, a bomb disposal and dog squads.

Keeping in view a much bigger event — the Commonwealth Games that’s coming up later this year — the fire chief has written a letter to both SAI and the Commonwealth Organising Committee, asking them to ensure that the venues are made fire safety compliant.

“Indoor stadiums are a big worry. Most of the venues are under construction and we hope the authorities are taking the necessary steps to make them fire safety compliant,” Sharma said.