NOIDA: The recent fire incident at Ivy County has alarmed residents far beyond the Noida condominium. For many in the NCR’s expanding high-rise communities, the event highlights a troubling reality: despite the increasing height of residential towers, the safety systems intended to protect them have struggled to keep up.
Residents, community organizations, and safety experts express that this latest fire has revealed ongoing issues—ranging from insufficient fire norm enforcement to firefighting equipment that is often inadequate for the upper floors of the tallest structures in the area. This incident has reignited calls for enhanced oversight, consistent audits, and investments in advanced rescue technology.
Regulatory Gaps
According to Noida Authority regulations, obtaining a fire No Objection Certificate (NOC) is essential for receiving a completion or occupancy certificate. This NOC is issued only after an inspection confirms that the building adheres to the National Building Code and local regulations. Inspectors evaluate critical safety features including automatic sprinklers, wet risers, fire hose reels, and alarm systems, alongside considerations for escape routes and emergency lighting.
In Uttar Pradesh, residential buildings are mandated to renew their fire NOCs every three to five years, necessitating updated maintenance logs and inspections submitted through the state fire service portal. However, in practice, compliance tends to decline after the initial handover to the apartment owners’ association, resulting in sporadic and reactive maintenance.
“Fire NOCs appear to be a formality. Even after inspections, concrete actions against builders or associations are seldom taken,” lamented Amit Gupta, a Prateek Wisteria resident.
Cranes Fall Short
Noida is home to numerous highrises reaching 25 to 30 floors, yet the city boasts only four hydraulic ladders capable of reaching just up to 42 meters (14 stories).
A resident of Ivy County’s Tower B2 noted that although their fire systems were operational during the incident last Friday and helped contain the flame, the inadequacy of the fire department’s aerial reach was again highlighted. “Considering the significant investment in properties in such complexes, it is shocking that mandatory safety norms remain unenforced,” he expressed.
The situation is aggravated by the summer heat. Concrete buildings in the NCR absorb and retain heat intensely, facilitating faster fire spread and complicating evacuations, especially since most existing towers lack passive cooling measures unlike green-rated buildings.
Smoke, Not Flames, is the Real Fear
Community organizations have expressed that the most significant threat in high-rise fires is not the flames but the smoke. Abhishek Kumar, president of the Noida Extension Flat Owners Welfare Association (NEFOWA), representing various highrises in Greater Noida West, remarked that residents on upper floors often face uncertainty about staircase accessibility, smoke infiltration into common areas, the operational state of lifts, and the reach of rescue equipment. “Evacuations can be particularly daunting for families with children, elderly individuals, and pets,” he indicated.
Kumar advocated for improved firefighting infrastructure, advanced rescue tools, rigorous accountability measures, and obligatory third-party safety inspections.
Demand for Drone Technology and SOPs
Rajiva Singh, a resident of Stellar Kings Court in Sector 50, highlighted the need for a unified regulatory framework. “We need a clear and strictly enforced Standard Operating Procedure that delineates the responsibilities of builders, maintenance teams, and owners’ associations regarding firefighting system upkeep,” he stated, adding that verification of compliance should occur through annual or biennial joint audits rather than relying solely on documentation.
Additionally, Singh called for a standardized checklist for highrises and mandatory quarterly drills for security personnel, maintenance teams, and residents.
Punit Sharma, president of the Noida Federation of Apartment Owners Associations (NOFAA) which represents over 120 highrises, emphasized the urgent need for investments in drone technology for firefighting. Firefighting drones can navigate around ground obstacles, evaluate conditions on upper levels, dispense fire retardants from heights, and minimize the risk to personnel in potentially unstable structures. “We also need more fire stations equipped to handle buildings of 30 to 35 floors with the best tools available,” Sharma added.
Furthermore, Sharma pointed out that the fire hazard issue extends beyond communal areas, highlighting the importance of regular checks for loose wiring and malfunctioning appliances within individual flats.
