‘Not many owners of high-rises apply for fire safety certification’

April 18, 2015 12:00 am | Updated 05:40 am IST - Mysuru:

Do the high-rises that have begun to dot the city’s landscape possess the mandatory structural fire safety requirements? Even as the vertical growth of the city has begun to spawn several high-rise buildings that are more than 15 metres in height, the Fire and Emergency Services Department in Mysuru is rarely approached for either the ‘No Objection Certificate’ (NOC) before the construction of such structure or for a Fire Safety Clearance Certificate after their construction.

Even though the NOC and the Fire Safety Clearance Certificate is mandatory for the civic authorities to sanction a building plan and occupancy certificate respectively, Regional Fire Officer, Mysuru, G. Eshwar Naik told The Hindu that no more than two or three applications had been received for NOC and Fire Safety Clearance Certificates since he took charge in June 2014.

This, even as the city is estimated to have around 150 high-rises, including about 20 to 30 tall structures that are under construction. Most buildings with ground plus four floors are above the 15 metres threshold stipulated under the National Building Code Part 4, which stipulates certain mandatory fire protection requirements for tall structures not only in view of unique challenges they pose to inhabitants in the event of a fire, but also problems firefighters encounter.

Mysore Grahaka Parishat said several dozens of buildings, which have not received clearance certificates from the Fire Department, are functioning as apartment buildings, hospitals, hotels and commercial complexes in Mysuru. These buildings are unsafe as fire safety measures are not in place in such structures, according to the MGP.

“If the civic bodies refer to us applications for sanction of building plans, we will give them the necessary guidelines as per the National Building Code. After the completion of construction, we can inspect the site for necessary fire safety precautions. But, we are rarely approached. Only after I raised the matter in a recent meeting, we started receiving a few applications”, Mr. Naik added. Meanwhile, retired Director of State Fire and Emergency Services B.G. Chengappa said most builders apply for sanction of building plans that are less than 15 metres to avoid securing NOC from the Fire and Emergency Services Department. But, later they build additional floors and hope to regularise buildings through Akrama-Sakrama or by paying penalty.

But, member of the Mysuru chapter of Builders’ Association of India (BAI) Ravindra Bhat denied the charge and said buildings are restricted to less than 15 metres. “But, if the buildings are more than 15 metres, we obtain the necessary NOCs and clearances”, he added.

High-rises that are more than 15 metres in height require a No-Objection Certificate from the Fire and Emergency Services Department

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