Cuttack: Large number of commercial establishments operating in the city have managed to get trade licences without submitting any building plan and fire safety clearance, which are mandatory for getting permits from the civic body.

A review of the records has revealed the extensive lapses in the issuance of trade licences without inspection and without receipt of the documents from the owners or proprietors of the commercial establishments.

The civic administration examined the trade licence records in the wake of Sunday's Badambadi fire that left a garment showroom charred.

Municipal commissioner Bikash Ranjan Mohapatra told The Telegraph on Thursday that around 70 commercial establishments were found not to have submitted building plan and fire safety licences at the time of getting trade licences.

"We have started issuing notices to these defaulting trade licence holders on Thursday, giving them fifteen days' time to submit the building plan and the fire safety licence," Mohapatra said.

The trade licences were allegedly issued by giving a go-by to the mandatory rule on receipt of illegal gratification by the civic staff from the commercial establishments.

Bidanasi resident Satyajit Roy said: "It seems authorities always wake up after incidents like the showroom fire. It is high time the authorities learn to ensure adherence to compulsory rules."

The municipal commissioner, however, said that the whip would be cracked on those who failed to come up with the required documents before the expiry of the deadline.

"We will conduct raids on the commercial establishments and cancel their trade licences," Mohapatra said. "The trade licences will be renewed only after submission of the required documents."

He said that cases in which deviation of building plan would be detected would be left for the Cuttack Development Authority to take appropriate action.

After the fire, the garments showroom that was gutted was found to have a trade licence even as the structure had not adhered to the building plan approval and fire safety licence. As per the approved plan, only the ground floor was to be used for commercial purpose and the two others for residential purpose.

In a related development, the CDA has formed a committee to identify all illegal commercial establishments in the city.

The committee consisting of law officer and enforcement officials of the CDA will examine all commercial establishments whether they have approved building plans and whether there has been deviations in constructions or illegal constructions, a CDA official said.