Bhopal: Minister Vishwas Sarang Slams BMC Chief Over Delayed Response To Fire Incident, Questioned His Competence

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Minister Vishwas Sarang criticised Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Harendra Narayan after a fire broke out in Oriya Basti, Ward-76, on Monday afternoon.

The blaze, which started in a house, quickly spread to nearby slums. Fortunately, residents managed to contain it before any casualty occurred.

Multiple attempts to contact the commissioner was made

BJP Councillor Lucky Rai claimed multiple attempts to contact, Commissioner Narayan went unanswered. He also reached out to the fire station but received no prompt response, worsening the situation as the fire spread.

Sarang arrived at the scene swiftly and, visibly frustrated, called the BMC Commissioner from the spot. He berated Narayan for not answering calls and questioned his competence.

It took nearly two hours to extinguish the fire

"You are the Municipal Commissioner, yet you don’t pick up the phone. When I called, the fire department arrived—without a hooter or water. If residents hadn’t stepped in, this could have been a disaster," Sarang fumed.

It took nearly two hours to extinguish the fire. Sarang inspected the gutted house and warned of the risks to nearby slums, stressing how much worse the situation could have been.

This is the second time in recent days that politicians, including MP Alok Sharma, have raised concern over Narayan’s failure to respond in emergencies. Just last week, Sharma and Bhopal mayor had voiced similar complaints during a 'Disha' meeting.