The Telangana High Court on Tuesday gave its nod for Hyderabad’s annual industrial exhibition after it went through inspection reports, submitted by several departments, on the safety measures that were in place. The exhibition, more commonly known as 'Numaish', had witnessed a massive fire last year, which gutted around 200 stalls set up at the venue.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Raghavendra Singh Chauhan and Justice A Abhishek Reddy was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) by a lawyer, Khaja Aijazuddin, who pointed out the lack of safety measures at the Numaish that had led to the fire.
The court has now ordered the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) to clear all encroachments in the lanes and bylanes leading to Exhibition Grounds, where the event is being conducted, and ensure smooth entry and exit for visitors.
The bench also appointed a member of the state's Legal Services Authority to file a report on the number of stalls installed, and directed the organisers to ensure that all gates were manned by trained experts.
This move came after the petitioner pointed out that the organisers had claimed that only 1,500 stalls had been set up, their website claimed that they would have 2,900 stalls.
Authorities also informed the court that around 1.5 lakh litres of water was available in two sumps, which were connected to 85 water hydrants around the ground, to douse flames. Facilities have also been made for power backup.
The All India Industrial Exhibition, known more commonly as Numaish, is an annual event that has been held in Hyderabad for over 80 years. It began in 1938, during the era of the last Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan.
It began as an attempt to promote locally made goods, and the event, which went on for 10 days, was inaugurated at the Public Gardens in the city's Nampally area. While it began with just a few stalls, Numaish has grown with each passing year. In 2018, more than 2,000 stalls were set up.