Malls ill-equipped to meet emergencies

While shopping malls are mushrooming across the country, the safety of such places is yet to become top priority in disaster management plans. All shopping malls might be having their respective emergency plans, but these are put to test only during national festivals or on anniversaries of  9/11 terrorist attack or December 6, the anniversary of Babri Masjid demolition and that too following instructions and warnings by security agencies.

Though post-9/11, disaster management plan has included terror attacks as a major hazard in malls and shopping complexes, evacuation and safety plans are mainly limited to metros. There are no uniform safety guidelines for shopping malls yet. At many shopping malls, escalators and staircases are kept only for emergency exit in the event of a disaster.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) had come out with certain instructions regarding crowd management, crowd behaviour and evacuation procedures but these have not penetrated to the ground-level and among all stakeholders. It is still hanging at the policy level.

Some of these guidelines are adhered to only when police enforces them on occasions. It was only after the Mumbai terror strike that disaster management authorities and security agencies started seeing shopping malls as places vulnerable to attacks. While malls in Mumbai, Bangalore and Kochi may have plans for emergency evacuation in the event of a terror attack, it may not be the case in other places.

The authorities need to look at shopping malls separately as the safety measures in such places cannot be generalised. As for emergency exits in shopping malls, it is true many of these buildings have such exit points. But the big question is whether these are being tested from time to time through mock drills? The other important safety aspect is the availability of space in and around the building for the easy passage of fire tenders or ambulances. While giving clearance to such buildings it should be mandatory to ensure that there is enough open space around such structures.

Malls should also have tie-ups with nearest hospitals and doctors to requisition their services in an emergency. It’s high time disaster management authority and policy makers laid down strict guidelines for safety of shopping malls and also a mechanism to ensure that these are implemented without any compromise.

(The author is assistant professor, Jamshetji Tata School for Disaster Management, Mumbai)