Tag: National Building Code

Latest StoriesResidential

Noida Highrises: Safety Gaps Exposed Post-Handover Fires

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…

IndustryLatest Stories

Govt Updates Building Code, Keeps Fire Safety Provisions Advisory

NEW DELHI: The government has officially replaced the National Building Code (NBC) with the National Building Construction Standards (NBCS) as of Thursday. This shift comes after directives from the Deregulation Cell under the Cabinet Secretariat. The new standards aim to provide guidelines rather than enforceable rules. According to sources, a primary reason for this change was that the previous code, while voluntary, implied legal obligations due to its terminology, leading to numerous court cases. Although the Deregulation Cell had initially suggested excluding the “fire and life safety” section from the standards, it was included in NBCS following significant pressure from…

IndustryLatest Stories

Fire Safety Essential in Building Code: BIS Panel

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…

InfrastructureLatest Stories

Delhi Fire Dept. Requests Revised Plan for GPRA Colony

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Fire Services (DFS) has denied approval for building plans concerning the General Pool Residential Accommodation (GPRA) colony in Sarojini Nagar due to significant violations of the National Building Code (NBC). Officials indicated that the project developer must address the identified issues and present revised plans. The Sarojini Nagar GPRA initiative is part of a broader redevelopment plan encompassing seven government colonies in south Delhi, designed for both residential and mixed-use purposes. The fire department’s findings highlighted multiple issues concerning building accessibility, fire exits, hydrant placements, and the width of escape routes. “The proposal could not be…