The Gujarat High Court's special bench spontaneously acknowledged the tragic fire incident at a game zone in Rajkot, recognizing it as a "man-made disaster.". It highlighted the proliferation of gaming zones and recreational facilities lacking essential approvals from competent authorities, emphasizing a regulatory oversight.

The bench issued a directive to advocates representing the municipal corporations of Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, and Rajkot, summoning them to appear on Monday. They were instructed to provide details regarding the legal provisions under which these units were permitted to be established or allowed to operate within their respective jurisdictions.

Officials reported that among the 27 individuals tragically killed and three others injured in the devastating fire at the Rajkot game zone, four were children under the age of 12. The incident occurred on Saturday evening, during a busy summer vacation outing for many people.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel personally visited the site of the incident on Sunday morning, at Nana-Mava road, as well as a hospital where the injured victims were receiving treatment.

"We are shocked to read newspaper reports which indicate that the gaming zone at Rajkot appears to have taken advantage of the loopholes in the Gujarat Comprehensive General Development Control Regulations (GDCR). These entertainment zones, as newspapers suggest, have come up without the necessary approvals from the competent authorities," the court observed.

The High Court further sought clarification from both the state government and the municipal corporations regarding the issuance of licenses, particularly concerning the use and adherence to fire safety regulations, for the entertainment zones falling within their territorial jurisdiction. Noting that these zones, as reported by newspapers, have emerged without the essential approvals from competent authorities, the court underscored the need for transparency and compliance with regulatory requirements.

Citing newspaper reports, the High Court highlighted that temporary structures were erected at the TRP game zone in Rajkot, seemingly as a workaround to bypass the challenges associated with obtaining required permissions and no-objection certificates, including those related to fire safety and construction. This underscores a concerning trend of circumventing regulatory processes.

The High Court emphasized that the proliferation of such game zones is not limited to Rajkot alone but extends to Ahmedabad city as well. It expressed grave concern over the potential threat these establishments pose to public safety, particularly to innocent children. This highlights a broader issue of regulatory oversight and the imperative need for stringent safety measures.

"Apart from having constructed such gaming zones/ recreational activities, they have been put to use apparently, according to our information through the newspaper reports, without permission," the court said.

The court listed the suo motu petition for further hearing on Monday, with a direction to the panel advocates for the respective corporations to appear before it with instructions as to "under what provisions of law these corporations led these gaming zones/recreational facilities to be set up or continue and be put to use." The bench also allowed a civil application in a PIL on fire safety being heard by the court that was moved by the party-in-person, Amit Panchal, for an urgent hearing.