NEW DELHI: In light of recent fatal building fires in Delhi, Odisha, and Goa, a technical committee from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has opposed the Cabinet Secretariat’s deregulation cell’s proposal to remove “fire safety” provisions from the National Building Code (NBC). The committee, however, has accepted various other recommendations, including omitting certain administrative and development control norms.
The deregulation cell suggested that different parts of the NBC, including fire safety regulations, should be simplified into handbooks and removed from the official code. This marks the second time the Cabinet Secretariat has requested alterations to BIS regulations, following a previous directive regarding seismic codes.
As part of a broader government deregulation initiative, the cell has urged BIS to transfer responsibility for fire safety and administrative matters to state governments and municipal authorities, who are deemed better equipped to handle these standards.
In its recent meeting, the BIS technical committee recommended retaining the “Fire and Life Safety” section within the NBC revision. They highlighted that recent events both nationally and globally demonstrate the critical importance of fire safety. Proper planning and maintenance of buildings are essential to ensure they do not become hazards, as underscored in the meeting minutes.
The committee emphasized that fire safety should remain integrated within the building code, rather than relegated to a handbook.
While the committee accepted several deregulation cell proposals, such as categorizing cities into fire zones and easing certain sprinkler requirements for low-hazard industries, it stressed the necessity of maintaining robust fire safety laws for public protection, according to a committee member.
This is the second directive from the deregulation cell to BIS, following a recent request for immediate withdrawal of seismic standard notifications. Some members expressed concern that when the NBC 2025 draft was set for publication after extensive expert reviews, the deregulation cell informed states that adhering to the NBC is not mandatory, describing it as a voluntary code without legal binding.
Ajit Kumar S M, president of the Karnataka Professional Civil Engineers Act – Steering Consortium, remarked, “Currently, NBC remains voluntary. Although the Code can exist, states should tailor it as necessary. The government should not override a technical committee established by a statutory body.”
