AHMEDABAD, Gujarat: Considering a recent spike in fire incidents in the state, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has begun cracking down on unsafe building units, including miniplex video cinemas. AMC has now sealed 11 units, including four miniplexes, that it found violating the norms. With this, the total number of sealed units in the state has increased to 104.
The fire safety challenge posed by these unauthorised structures has been identified by the news reports. The corporation in this regard said that under the Gujarat Cinema (Regulation of Exhibition Video) Rules 1984 and General Development Control Regulations (CGDCR), a separate construction approval is required to open a miniplex in a commercial complex, a crucial step that most miniplexes did not follow, rendering them illegal. Due to this, their number has grown significantly despite the stringent nature of the rules.
Cumulatively, city and district administration has collectively issued licenses to only 24 theatres and 61 video cinemas or miniplexes.