The Bombay High Court is looking into Maharashtra’s fire safety regulations in the aftermath of the devastating Chembur Fire Incident, which killed seven people. The court has ordered authorities to set a timetable for enacting stricter fire safety regulations to protect citizens from manmade disasters. The Bombay High Court warned that if the state government failed to enforce fire safety regulations, it would suspend all development permits in Mumbai.
In response, on Friday, October 11, 2024, the Maharashtra government informed the court that it had issued final notifications to enforce fire safety standards for vulnerable buildings in Mumbai and Maharashtra.
According to the amendment, these buildings must make special provisions for fire towers with a minimum two-hour fire resistance, a firefighter evacuation lift, and a ventilated lobby as an integral part of the fire escape staircase.
High-rise buildings taller than 90 meters should have break tanks with fire pumps every 65 meters. The water tank system may be installed on service floors or floors that include refuge areas.
These regulations are intended to prevent tragedies such as the 2018 Crystal Palace tower fire in Parel, which killed four people and injured 27 due to inadequate fire safety measures. The high court emphasized the importance of fire safety regulations and firefighter evacuation lifts in high-rise buildings.
The notification would include security rules in the Development Control and Promotion Regulations (DCPR) of 2034 for Greater Mumbai and the Unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations (UDCPR) for the rest of Maharashtra.
Eknath Shinde, the Maharashtra Chief Minister, has repeatedly urged the relevant departments to prioritize fire safety regulations. During the Monsoon Assembly Session of 2024, he expressed concerns about fire safety, pointing out that Mumbai has had approximately 13,000 fire incidents in the last three years, resulting in 65 deaths. He emphasized the urgent need to install fire evacuation lifts in buildings taller than 70 meters.
Following the government’s continued delay, the court has scheduled additional hearings for November 20 and directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s chief fire officer to file an affidavit addressing allegations of lax fire safety approvals.
The bench stated that these notifications would be published in the official gazette and strictly followed by all planning and civic authorities in the state.
Background on high-rise buildings fire safety regulations
The Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act of 2006 establishes fire safety standards for multi-story buildings, including regular certifications and inspections.
The state has 6,712 high-rise buildings and 378 skyscrapers, with Mumbai accounting for 3,629 and 362 respectively. In 2018, the fire department, in collaboration with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and based on recommendations from PEATA and MCHI, mandated that Fire Evacuation Lifts be installed as essential safety features in high-rise buildings to facilitate faster life-saving responses during fire emergencies.
In July 2022, the Maharashtra Energy Department revised the regulations and issued an advisory with specifications to prevent fraudulent production of this critical equipment.
