Senior journalist Rakesh Kumar Singh says repeated warnings about illegal hotels and guest houses in Malviya Nagar were ignored, calling for accountability and a city-wide review of fire safety compliance after the tragedy
New Delhi: The recent tragedy that claimed 21 lives in South Delhi’s Malviya Nagar has brought renewed attention to long-standing concerns over the illegal operation of hotels and guest houses in the Corner Market area. Senior journalist and former Dainik Hindustan South Delhi Bureau Chief, Rakesh Kumar Singh, said he had repeatedly highlighted these safety risks years ago and had alerted authorities and concerned departments about the issue.
According to Singh, during the period when his office was located in Corner Market, Malviya Nagar, he had published several reports highlighting serious violations of safety norms and administrative negligence in illegally operating hotels and guest houses in the area. At the time, he had warned that failure to enforce regulations and address these lapses could eventually lead to a major tragedy.
Unfortunately, the recent fire disaster, which resulted in the loss of 21 lives, has turned those warnings into a grim reality. The incident has once again brought renewed scrutiny to the issues of illegal constructions, non-compliance with safety regulations, and administrative inaction.
Reflecting on the tragedy, Singh said that timely and effective intervention by the authorities could potentially have prevented the loss suffered by so many families. While paying tribute to the victims, he emphasized that journalism extends beyond reporting events and carries the important responsibility of alerting society and the administration to potential dangers before they escalate into disasters.
He further called for an impartial investigation into the incident and demanded strict action against those found responsible. Singh also urged authorities to conduct a comprehensive review of safety standards across all hotels, guest houses, and commercial establishments operating in the national capital to ensure that such tragedies are not repeated in the future.
