In the backdrop of the Surat fire tragedy that claimed the lives of 22 students, the Delhi government on Monday notified new fire safety measures, including a ban on rooftop and basement kitchens and installing of carbon monoxide detectors, in the building by-laws. It also ordered the city fire services to carry out an ‘immediate inspection’ of all the buildings housing coaching centres.

The notification issued by the Urban Development Department of Delhi government also lays down that the fire NOC (no objection certificate) for guest houses will not be issued to those buildings which have more than four floors (excluding basement and stilt floor), said the Delhi Urban Development minister Satyendar Jain. The Delhi government in February 2019 had approved amendments in building by-laws to make room for improved fire safety norms in the buildings, after 17 people were killed in an inferno at a hotel in Karolbagh area of the city.

Jain said that the fire safety norms as per the amendment in building by-laws have been implemented with immediate effect. The Delhi government has also ordered Delhi Fire Services to carry out an ‘immediate inspection’ of all the buildings housing coaching centres, said the minister. The notification inserts a new clause 7.31 in Chapter 7 of the Unified Building By-Laws for Delhi, 2018, under which various provisions have been made for fire safety. “No kitchen will allowed or rooftops or basement. No cooking activity of any kind will be permitted on the rooftop or basement,” it said. Also, no temporary roofing over the roof or terrace with use of inflammable material will be allowed.

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The notified amendment also provides for carbon monoxide fire detectors and alarms to be installed in the buildings as per the Delhi Fire Services standards. It provides for proper air ventilation for staircases and corridors in the buildings, besides banning the storage of inflammable material on rooftop. It will be mandatory to install fire safety doors having resistance of not less than one hour at the entrance of each floor level where the number of occupants is more than ten. A senior government official said that the concerned agencies including the Delhi Fire Services and Municipal corporations will be responsible for the implementation and monitoring of the amended fire safety provisions in the Building By-Laws.

According to the amendments, the owners of guest houses will have to submit floor plans indicating the use of each floor, to the Delhi Fire Services, while applying for the Fire NOC. The deadly fire at Hotel Arpit Palace in Karol Bagh on February 12 killed 17 people and injured three others. The notified amendment in the Building By-Laws also stipulate that a gas bank, if any, will be installed conforming to the standards prescribed in the National Building Code (NBC).

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