Fire safety: No NOC in 30% Gurugram high-rises, audit ordered

Sumedha Sharma
Gurugram, May 17

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In what adds to the woes of lakhs of residents, 30 per cent of the high-rise buildings in the city lack fire safety NOCs, with only 60 per cent functioning with mandatory equipment and measures.

Survey will start soon

We have ordered safety audits in all high-rise buildings. The builders and RWAs need to ensure they have fire safety NOC in place along with mandatory measures and equipment. The fire safety survey will start soon and defaulters will be penalised. — Nishant Yadav, DC

The local administration has, meanwhile, ordered a fire safety survey.

“We have ordered safety audits in all high-rise buildings. The builders and Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) need to ensure that they have fire safety NOC in place along with the mandatory measures and equipment. They also need to be in touch with the Fire Department on a regular basis to keep fire safety measures updated. The fire safety survey will start soon and defaulters will be penalised,” said Nishant Yadav, Deputy Commissioner (DC).

The DC said ever since the announcement of the audit had been made, there was a beeline of builders to get the NOCs.

Four days ago, six persons were rescued after a fire broke out on the 10th and 11th floor of Residency Grand Apartments in Sector 52.

It took more than an hour for the fire tenders to control the flames.

Many residents took to social media and posted videos and photos of the non-existent or clogged emergency exits, defunct fire extinguishers and openly dumped inflammables in their areas.

They even highlighted that they had never had a mock drill in a decade and had no idea what to do if a fire broke out in their society.

Not just high-rises, encroached markets of Sector 31, 14 and Sadar Bazaar have been identified as vulnerable spots apart from open dumping grounds.

“We have a modern fleet of fire tenders along with hydraulic lifts. We also have tie-ups with DLF, which has two 90-m hydraulics. We regularly conduct drills even in crowded areas such as Sadar Bazaar,” said Gulshan Kalra, Deputy Director Fire.