Blaze Erupts at High-Security MP Residence Near Parliament

Delhi's Brahmaputra Apartments, a high-profile residential complex for Rajya Sabha Members of Parliament, was the scene of a significant fire on Saturday afternoon. The multi-storey building, situated just 200 meters from the Parliament, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2020. The blaze, which appeared to start on one of the upper floors, caused immediate alarm among residents and drew a major emergency response, though not without controversy.

Emergency Response Under Scrutiny

While multiple fire engines were dispatched to the scene on BD Marg to combat the flames, the timeliness of their arrival was publicly questioned. Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale, a resident of the building, posted on social media that there was a critical delay in the response. He claimed that despite repeated calls, no fire brigade units had arrived for 30 minutes while the fire was visibly growing. This allegation has cast a spotlight on the effectiveness of emergency protocols in one of the capital's most sensitive and high-security zones.

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, and officials are working to bring the situation fully under control. The incident has not only highlighted the potential dangers in a densely populated area but has also triggered an important debate about the readiness of the city's emergency services, particularly when responding to incidents in close proximity to the nation's seat of power.