The Hindu : New Delhi News : Buildings violating fire safety norms may be sealed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 20, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Buildings violating fire safety norms may be sealed

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 19. Nearly 2,500 buildings in Delhi which do not conform to fire safety norms, including those in the busiest market places Karol Bagh and Sadar Bazar, may be sealed if fire prevention devices are not installed within three months.

The Delhi Fire Service has issued public notice to owners and occupiers of buildings in the National Capital which are over 15 metres in height, that is the ones having at least five storeys including the ground floor, saying penal action will be initiated against them if they do not put into place 12 minimum standards of fire safety by December 17.

The action comes in the wake of a Delhi High Court order in August which said all buildings, irrespective of whether they are in `lal dora' or `extended lal dora' areas, will have to comply with fire safety measures. `Lal dora' and `extended lal dora' areas mostly comprise the urban villages of Delhi, in which building plans do not have to be submitted to civic authorities. Delhi Chief Fire Officer R.C. Sharma said that his department had identified around 2,500 buildings which do not conform to any fire safety norms.

"Most of them are in Karol Bagh in Central Delhi, Sadar Bazar in West Delhi and in the `lal dora' areas of South-West Delhi and many of them are unauthorised," he said. The notice says that owners and occupiers of these buildings must ensure that there is an access road at least six metres wide so that fire tenders reach there in case of an emergency.

The buildings should also have water storage tanks of 50,000 litre capacity in case of residential properties or 200,000 litre capacity for commercial properties. Other devices that have to be installed include automatic sprinkler system, hose reel, portable appliances, compartmentation, automatic fire detection and manual alarm system, public address system, exit signs, emergency power supply and fireman's grounding switch on the lift. If all these fire prevention and safety measures are not taken by December 17, the water and electricity supply of the buildings will be cut off and an initial fine of Rs 50,000 imposed on the owners or occupiers, Mr. Sharma said. Subsequently, the buildings may be sealed.

However, Fire Service officials admit that it may be difficult to meet all the 12 minimum requirements. "The roads are not six metres wide in parts of Karol Bagh and Sadar Bazar and so, how can building owners widen them. It is also virtually impossible to install water storage tanks of 50,000-200,000 litre capacity after the building has already come up," an official said. Sealing hundreds of building is also not easy as the Fire Service does not have the required manpower to execute such an order, he said. For the moment, the Fire Service hope that the maximum number of buildings install the safety devices.

"We have sealed many high rises in the past even in areas like Connaught Place," Mr. Sharma said. While most of them have since been reopened after installation of safety devices, some like the Super Bazar still remain sealed. In three months time, hundreds of other buildings may join its fate. -- PTI

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