GURUGRAM: On Thursday, the district administration mandated fire safety audits for all hospitals, schools, malls, offices, hotels, and other commercial buildings in the city. This directive requires the fire department to assess the safety preparedness of these establishments.
This decision follows a tragic hotel fire in Delhi that resulted in 21 fatalities, including eight local residents. Officials are tasked with verifying essential firefighting equipment, inspecting emergency exits, reviewing evacuation plans, and ensuring compliance with established fire safety regulations. The directive reflects growing concerns over safety standards highlighted by the recent incident.
“All institutions must adhere to prescribed fire safety standards to prevent future tragedies. We will not tolerate any violations of these rules,” stated Deputy Commissioner Uttam Singh. He emphasized that public safety is the administration’s utmost priority.
Singh mentioned that the fire department will conduct phased audits of malls, commercial buildings, office complexes, hotels, restaurants, showrooms, and other establishments.
If violations are uncovered, appropriate actions will be taken under relevant regulations, and operators will be instructed to implement corrective measures immediately.
The Deputy Commissioner urged property owners to maintain fire safety systems in their facilities strictly and to follow standards diligently in order to avert the loss of life and property during emergencies.
Fire safety regulations in the state are governed primarily by the Haryana Fire and Emergency Services Act and are integrated into the Haryana Building Code (HBC), along with the National Building Code (NBC) compliance requirements.
An NOC (No Objection Certificate) from the fire department is required for residential buildings and apartments over 15 meters tall, as well as for commercial, industrial, and institutional structures exceeding 500 square meters. This includes facilities such as hospitals, hotels, schools, and banquet halls.
The district court complex—recently damaged by fire—lacked a fire NOC. Other government establishments in the city, such as the HSVP office, mini secretariat, police commissioner’s office, new courts complex, RPF complex, divisional commissioner’s office, district prisons, and the PWD guest house, are also reportedly without the necessary clearance. A temporary court has been set up at the guest house following the fire.
Fire department officials noted that an NOC is only issued upon receiving an application. “In many instances, it was never requested,” the official remarked, adding that the department typically does not conduct independent inspections to ensure compliance.
