BBMP shuts 8 gaming zones for lacking safety measures in Bengaluru

BENGALURU: Close on the heels of a gaming-zone fire claiming 28 lives in Gujarat’s Rajkot last month, BBMP has conducted a safety audit at 29 gaming zones and found eight lacking in safety measures.
According to BBMP officials, the gaming zones were inspected soon after deputy CM DK Shivakumar instructed the civic body to check the safety measures there.

Palike officials said they closed eight gaming zones lacking in safety measures. These include Hex Entertainment at 5th Block in Koramangala in BBMP’s South zone, one at Kempfort Mall on HAL Road in East zone, and one at Vaishnavi Mall on Yeshwantpur Main Road in RR Nagar zone. Five gaming zones in Yelahanka zone – in RMZ Galleria Mall, Yelahanka, Mall of Asia near Byatarayanapura, Elements Mall in Thanisandra, and two in Bharatiya City Mall on Thanisandra Main Road – were shut.
Officials mentioned that the gaming zone at Vaishnavi Mall has no trade licence. The remaining seven gaming zones had not obtained NOCs from Bescom, fire and police departments. They can restart the gaming zones if they comply with all the safety measures and obtain NOCs from the authorities concerned.
Palike officials said Yelahanka zone has the highest number of gaming zones (6), followed by East and West (5 each). Dasarahalli zone has no gaming zone.