PRAYAGRAJ, July 10 -- The district fire department has issued notices to 261 commercial establishments, including private coaching institutes, training centres, small hotels, guest houses and healthcare facilities, for inadequate fire safety arrangements and lack of proper emergency exits. Chief fire officer (CFO) Prayagraj, CM Sharma, said the department has been conducting inspections across the city since June 23 and is checking nearly 20 establishments every day. During the inspections, authorities are issuing notices to around 10 to 12 establishments daily for laxities in fire safety measures. The notices direct owners to complete the minimum mandatory fire safety requirements within 15 days to one month. The department has also asked building owners to provide separate fire exits by constructing additional staircases and maintain setback areas wherever feasible to minimise risks during emergencies. Sharma warned that failure to comply with the notices could lead to disconnection of electricity supply, sealing of premises and other action under the Uttar Pradesh Fire Prevention and Fire Safety Act, 2005. According to the CFO, a large number of coaching institutes in Prayagraj are operating without registration and far exceed those officially registered with the office of the District Inspector of Schools (DIOS). Many such institutes function from rented flats, commercial complexes and residential buildings and often lack basic fire safety infrastructure. He said small hotels and guest houses also pose a challenge as most are located in densely populated localities with little or no access for fire tenders during emergencies. Explaining the safety requirements, Sharma said establishments on the ground floor may meet basic norms with two or three fire extinguishers costing around Rs 1,000-1,200 each. However, facilities operating on upper floors require additional equipment such as three to four fire extinguishers, a 5,000-litre overhead water tank, a 450 horsepower pump, hose reel and an alarm system, costing around Rs 30,000 or more. The cost increases with the height of the building. District Inspector of Schools Santosh Kumar Rai said there are 93 registered coaching institutes in Prayagraj. He added that efforts are underway to identify unregistered coaching centres and take action against those operating without proper authorisation....