Bomb hoax exposes real fire traps in Ludhiana, 20 civic offices in extinguisher rush.

Ludhiana: The municipal corporation will install and refill 109 fire extinguishers across its offices following a series of safety lapses and a recent bomb hoax that exposed vulnerabilities in the civic body’s buildings.The security upgrade, estimated to cost almost ₹2.7 lakh, comes as the MC’s four zonal and 16 sub-zonal offices currently operate with just four to five extinguishers for each zone. Thousands of residents visit these offices daily.It’s written in the official proposal that the civic body has floated tenders to purchase 68 ABC-type 6kg extinguishers for common fires and 16 CO2-type 4.5kg extinguishers for electrical and flammable liquid hazards.

An additional 25 existing ABC-type 4kg units will be refilled.The upgrades follow years of neglect regarding the National Building Code’s fire safety mandates. A hydrant and hose reel system installed near the Zone A office during the construction of a multi-story parking complex has fallen into disrepair.An anonymous fire department official stated that senior administrators had long ignored comprehensive safety measures and failed to secure fire no-objection certificates (NOCs).

The official noted that even local fire department headquarters lacked built-in systems, relying instead on stationary fire tenders.However, officials indicated the new extinguishers are the first phase of a broader compliance push. Tenders for mandatory hydrants, hose reels, and automated alarm systems are expected in the coming days.MC Secretary Neeraj Jain confirmed the safety initiative, stating that the civic body is committed to upgrading infrastructure to ensure public safety across all zonal headquarters