PRAYAGRAJ, June 26 -- The district administration has ordered the closure of 86 guesthouses, banquet halls, hotels and lodges found to be operating in violation of mandatory fire safety norms.After cancelling the registrations of these hotels and lodges, authorities are now preparing to seal all such premises within the next two to three days. Acting on a report from chief fire officer (CFO) Chandra Mohan Sharma, additional district magistrate (City) Satyam Mishra has rejected the establishments' applications under the Sarai Act, ordering their operations to cease. Additional district magistrate (City) Satyam Mishra said the registrations of the erring establishments had already been revoked under the Sarai Act. "The process of sealing these hotels and lodges will begin shortly. Any establishment found operating despite cancellation of registration will face legal action," he said. The crackdown follows a large-scale inspection drive launched by the fire department in the wake of a devastating hotel fire in Delhi on June 3. During the campaign, officials inspected more than 300 hospitality and commercial establishments across Prayagraj. "Officials identified serious fire safety deficiencies at 86 establishments," said CFO Sharma. "Several were operating without a mandatory Fire No Objection Certificate (NOC), while others lacked adequate emergency evacuation arrangements and required firefighting equipment." A number of other establishments have been served notices and directed to rectify their deficiencies within a stipulated timeframe, Sharma added. According to the CFO's report, these establishments failed to secure valid fire safety certificates, posing a significant risk to public safety. Based on these findings, the district administration has adopted a strict stance against the violators. The crackdown has caused concern among local hospitality operators, as several prominent properties are reportedly on the list of affected establishments. District authorities, however, emphasised that negligence regarding fire safety norms will not be tolerated. Officials stated that the administration will continue to take stringent action against any establishments that compromise public safety....