Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday, 19 September 2026, visited Purohit Ji Ka Katla in Jaipur to personally assess the damage caused by a massive fire that gutted several shops and warehouses there on Thursday, and met with the traders who lost their livelihoods in the blaze. Gehlot demanded that the state government provide prompt and adequate compensation to all affected business owners without further delay.

What Gehlot Said at the Site

Expressing concern over the scale of losses, Gehlot said the government must demonstrate sensitivity and immediately dispatch its representatives to meet affected families and business owners. He pointed out that, according to the distressed traders he spoke with, no representative of the state government had visited the site or engaged with them even after the fire — a charge that amounts to a direct indictment of the ruling administration's ground-level response.

Gehlot stressed that the government must conduct a thorough assessment of losses and ensure compensation reaches every affected trader. 'Traders facing the aftermath of such a devastating incident need support and reassurance from the government,' he said, calling for prompt action to address their grievances.

Emergency Response: What Worked

Gehlot acknowledged that NDRF and fire brigade teams reached the site promptly after the fire broke out and immediately began rescue and firefighting operations. He appreciated the efforts of emergency responders, noting that, fortunately, no loss of life was reported in the incident. He added that the blaze could have caused far greater damage had it spread further.

How the Fire Unfolded

A major fire broke out on Thursday morning at Purohit Ji Ka Katla, a dense commercial cluster in Jaipur, rapidly engulfing multiple shops and warehouses. The blaze spread quickly, fuelled by large quantities of cloth, plastic, and other combustible materials stored in the premises. Firefighting teams faced considerable difficulty navigating the area's narrow lanes but managed to bring the fire under control after several hours of continuous operations.

A short circuit is suspected to have triggered the fire, though investigators are yet to determine the exact cause. The investigation is currently underway.

Gehlot Flags Fire-Safety Gaps

Beyond the immediate compensation demand, Gehlot called on the state government to conduct a systematic inspection of all buildings issued Fire NOCs and verify that fire-safety measures are actually in place — signalling concern that compliance may be lax. He emphasised that corrective steps must be taken to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. This call carries added weight given that fires in congested urban commercial clusters — where narrow lanes hamper emergency access — are a recurring hazard across Rajasthan's older market areas.

With the BJP-led state government yet to publicly respond to Gehlot's allegations of administrative indifference, the incident has quickly acquired a political dimension ahead of the state's next electoral cycle.