Published: June 3, 2026 | Category: Nagpur Local | By: Nagpur Updates Desk
A fire that broke out at the popular Ashish NX store in Nagpur’s Mahal area on May 30 has exposed a major illegal construction scandal — and a bulldozer could be rolling in very soon.
The Fire Department’s investigation has revealed that the owner, Ashish Kewalramani, allegedly merged three residential buildings into a single commercial complex — without any legal permission or building sanction. The findings have now been forwarded to the Town Planning Department and NMC’s Gandhibagh Zone. Demolition action against the illegal portions of the Ashish NX building is now being considered almost certain.
What the Fire Department Found
| Violation | Details |
|---|---|
| Illegal construction | 3 residential buildings merged into 1 commercial complex without permission |
| Legal status | Unauthorised — Town Planning Department already confirmed |
| Fire safety equipment | Multiple systems found inactive at time of fire |
| Fire fighting maintenance | No regular maintenance — a serious violation |
| Legal action | Complaint filed at Ganeshpeth Police Station under Maharashtra Fire Prevention Act 2006 |
The Fire Department’s report is unambiguous: the structure — a complex, maze-like building created by joining three separate residential buildings — was built without any statutory permission. The Town Planning Department has already confirmed the construction is unauthorised.
How the Fire Exposed the Illegal Structure
On Saturday, May 30, a sudden fire broke out at the popular Ashish NX Store in Mahal. What seemed like a routine commercial fire quickly became a nightmare for the Fire Department.
The firefighters found themselves battling not just flames — but a dangerously confusing, maze-like interior structure. The complex had been built by breaking down walls between three adjacent residential buildings and creating a sprawling, interconnected commercial space. For firefighters, this meant unexpected dead ends, unclear exit routes, and extreme difficulty in locating the seat of the fire and reaching all affected areas.
The fire investigation that followed the blaze revealed the full extent of what had been done:
Three residential buildings, illegally joined: The owner allegedly demolished internal walls between three separately constructed residential buildings and merged them into a single commercial space — the Ashish NX store. This kind of structural modification to residential buildings for commercial use requires multiple approvals — including municipal building permission, change of land use approval, and fire NOC for the combined commercial structure. None of these were obtained.
Fire safety systems — inactive when needed most: At the time of the fire, investigators found that multiple fire fighting systems installed in the building were inactive — not functioning as required. Regular maintenance of fire safety equipment had not been carried out. This directly contributed to the difficulty in controlling the blaze and is considered a serious violation of fire safety norms.
The Legal Framework: What Was Violated
The fire department has cited violations under the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, 2006 — a comprehensive law that mandates:
- Regular maintenance of all fire fighting equipment
- Valid fire NOC for commercial establishments
- Structural compliance with building bye-laws
- Proper exit routes and fire escape facilities
For a large commercial establishment like Ashish NX — drawing significant daily footfall from shoppers — these are not optional requirements. They are mandatory safety standards that exist to protect both customers and staff.
The complaint has been filed at Ganeshpeth Police Station — making this not just a civic compliance matter but a potential criminal case.
What Happens Next: The NMC Process
With the Fire Department’s report now in hand, the ball is firmly in NMC’s Gandhibagh Zone’s court. Here is the step-by-step process:
Step 1 — Notice to Owner As per NMC rules, the Gandhibagh Zone will first issue a formal notice to Ashish Kewalramani — asking him to either prove the construction is legal (with valid documents) or to voluntarily demolish the illegal portions.
Step 2 — Document Verification If the owner submits documents claiming the construction is legal, they will be verified by the Town Planning Department. Given that the Town Planning Department has already confirmed the construction is unauthorised, this step is expected to confirm the violation.
Step 3 — Demolition Order If valid documents cannot be produced — which appears highly likely given the Town Planning Department’s prior finding — NMC can proceed directly with demolition of the illegal portions.
Given the speed at which the Fire Department forwarded its report and the Gandhibagh Zone has begun preparing action, demolition of Ashish NX’s illegal portions is considered almost certain in the coming days.
Fire Safety: A Systemic Problem in Nagpur’s Commercial Areas
The Ashish NX case is a disturbing example of a problem that exists across many of Nagpur’s older commercial areas — particularly in the densely packed lanes of Mahal, Itwari, Sitabuldi, and Gandhibagh.
Illegal structural modifications — merging buildings, adding floors, blocking exits — are common in these areas, where commercial pressure to maximise floor space often overrides legal compliance.
Unmaintained fire safety equipment is equally widespread. Many commercial establishments install fire extinguishers and sprinkler systems to obtain their initial NOC — and then neglect regular maintenance, rendering the equipment useless in an actual emergency.
The result is that when a fire does break out in such buildings — as it did at Ashish NX — the danger to customers, staff, and firefighters is dramatically higher than it needs to be.
Just as the Daga Hospital NICU fire highlighted the need for electrical safety audits in government institutions, the Ashish NX fire is a wake-up call for Nagpur’s commercial building compliance ecosystem.
Q: What is Ashish NX? Ashish NX is a popular multi-floor commercial shopping establishment located near Gandhi Gate in the Mahal area of Nagpur. It is owned by Ashish Kewalramani.
Q: When did the fire happen? The fire broke out on Saturday, May 30, 2026, at the Ashish NX store in Mahal, Nagpur.
Q: What illegal construction was found? Three separate residential buildings were allegedly merged into a single commercial complex without any building permission, change of use approval, or fire NOC.
Q: Will the entire Ashish NX building be demolished? The likely action is demolition of the illegal portions — specifically the parts where buildings were merged without permission. The extent of demolition will depend on the NMC’s assessment of which portions lack valid approvals.
Q: Has a criminal case been filed? Yes — the Fire Department has filed a complaint at Ganeshpeth Police Station under the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, 2006.
Q: Can the owner stop the bulldozer action? The owner can approach court for a stay order — as has happened in previous NMC demolition cases in Nagpur. However, given the Town Planning Department has already confirmed the construction is unauthorised, obtaining a stay will be legally challenging.
The Lesson: Fire Safety Compliance Is Not Optional
The Ashish NX case sends a clear message to all commercial establishment owners in Nagpur — and across India. Building regulations, fire safety NOCs, and maintenance requirements exist for a reason. Ignoring them does not just risk legal action. It risks lives.
When a fire breaks out in a building with inactive fire safety systems and a confusing, illegally modified layout, the consequences fall on:
- Customers trapped in an unfamiliar, maze-like commercial space
- Staff who may not know the safest exit routes in a non-standard structure
- Firefighters who must battle both the flames and the structural confusion simultaneously
Nagpur Updates will track the NMC demolition action at Ashish NX and report on the police investigation at Ganeshpeth. This is a developing story — stay tuned for updates.
Tags: Ashish NX, NMC Nagpur, Bulldozer Action, Mahal Nagpur, Illegal Construction, Fire Safety, Gandhibagh Zone, Nagpur Crime, Nagpur Local News 2026
