Lucknow, June 24 -- The fire at Purania has prompted the Uttar Pradesh government to initiate a comprehensive review of electrical safety compliance in commercial buildings, exposing concerns over the enforcement of mandatory safety clearances across the state. Officials of the Electrical Safety Directorate have begun preparations for a statewide inspection drive to verify whether commercial establishments have obtained the required Electrical Safety No Objection Certificates (NOCs). The exercise will cover both old and newly constructed buildings, particularly those operating with high-load electricity connections. The move comes amid scrutiny of safety oversight mechanisms following the Purania incident. A significant number of commercial establishments in the city are reported to be functioning from premises that were originally sanctioned for residential use and later converted into commercial properties. In many cases, authorities suspect that mandatory electrical safety approvals may not have been obtained or properly verified. Under the proposed plan, commercial consumers with connected loads exceeding 50 kilowatts will undergo detailed inspections. Authorities will also review records across all four LESA zones to identify buildings operating without valid electrical safety certification. Officials in the Electrical Safety Directorate said the responsibility of ensuring compliance begins at the stage of power connection approval. Every commercial establishment is required to obtain an electrical safety NOC, while distribution companies are expected to verify the certification before energising connections. The chief engineer LESA VB Singh said that the inspection drive is likely to focus on key commercial clusters, including Charbagh, Indira Nagar, Chinhat and Sarojininagar, where large numbers of commercial buildings and institutions are concentrated. Functioning under the state Energy Department, the Uttar Pradesh Electrical Safety Directorate is responsible for enforcing electrical safety standards and issuing NOCs for high-load installations after inspecting electrical systems and equipment. The certification process covers malls, multiplexes, cinema halls, industrial units and other commercial establishments. Electrical safety clearance has also been made mandatory for the registration of lifts and escalators. The renewed focus on compliance follows findings from a citywide survey conducted in Lucknow nearly three years ago. According to official records, notices were issued to around 1,070 establishments after inspectors identified safety deficiencies. Of these, approximately 324 premises were found to have serious violations, with a majority involving residential properties that had been converted into commercial establishments without adequate electrical upgrades....