Delhi Police HQ, LNJP Hospital denied fire safety clearance

Hindustan Times

15 hours ago

The Delhi Fire Services (DFS) has denied fire safety certificate (FSC) renewals to two major public buildings this month — the Delhi Police Headquarters on Jai Singh Marg and Lok Nayak Hospital near Delhi Gate — citing violations of prescribed fire safety norms.
This is the first time the Delhi Police HQ has been denied a fire No-Objection Certificate (NOC), while Lok Nayak's application has been turned down twice this year after inspections revealed multiple lapses.
The denials come amid heightened scrutiny of fire preparedness in public institutions, following a spate of hospital and industrial fires earlier this year. As reported by Hindustan Times on May 22, the DFS had also rejected FSC renewals for Ambedkar Nagar Hospital, Bhagwan Mahavir Hospital, and two AIIMS blocks.
Under the Delhi Fire Services Rules, 2010, public and commercial buildings must renew their fire clearance every three years. DFS officials said inspections were carried out meticulously, and notices with rectification advice were sent to both the police and hospital administrations. Once the deficiencies are addressed, fresh inspections can be requested in the coming days or months.
Flagship police HQ fails fire audit
The Delhi Police Headquarters, a 17-storey twin-tower complex inaugurated in 2019 by Union home minister Amit Shah, is the force's first purpose-built headquarters after decades in rented buildings. Located on an 8-acre plot near Connaught Place, it houses the offices of the commissioner, special commissioners, control rooms, social media and surveillance units, and critical intelligence wings.
In May, DFS officials, along with Delhi Police staff, carried out an inspection in response to a renewal request submitted on April 21. A detailed report dated June 5 flagged at least five major deficiencies, most notably the replacement of mandated fire check doors on the 17th floor with ordinary glass doors, and the removal of door closers — a combination that compromised the lift lobby's pressurization system.
'Fire check door has been replaced with normal glass door at the 17th floor and door closers also found removed… which make the pressurization ineffective,' the report noted. It also cited the absence of a reception at the lift lobby and non-functional smoke detectors at several locations, significantly weakening emergency preparedness.
'These lapses directly affect the containment of smoke and fire in an emergency,' said a senior DFS official. 'A high-rise like the police HQ must meet the highest standards — anything less is a risk to life and property.'
Responding to the denial of fire safety clearance, a Delhi Police spokesperson said the issues raised were 'minor errors which are being rectified', and confirmed that corrective work was already underway. 'There's no permanent denial. It's only a report on what all needs to be fixed,' the officer added.
Persistent lapses at Lok Nayak Hospital
The Lok Nayak Hospital, one of the Capital's busiest government-run facilities, fared worse in fire inspections. It first applied for FSC renewal in March-April this year, but was denied in April due to non-compliance. A second application submitted in May was rejected on May 30, following another round of inspections that found persistent and, in some cases, worsening deficiencies.
DFS officials said their inspection uncovered lapses across the casualty OPD, surgical block, ortho block, and new special ward — with some violations posing 'serious threats' to patient and staff safety.
In the surgical block and casualty OPD, access roads needed for fire tender movement were either inadequately marked or obstructed by construction material. A staircase in the surgical block was found blocked by waste and debris — a major evacuation hazard in case of fire.
Fire hoses and branches were missing from hydrant boxes, while on some floors, firefighting systems had been deactivated due to ongoing renovations. In the ortho block, access roads were obstructed by parked vehicles and encroachments. Overgrown trees further impeded movement, fire officials said.
The inspection report also recorded non-functional fire detection and manual call point (MCP) systems, diesel pump engines not in auto mode, and missing fireman switches in hospital lifts — all essential components for early response in case of fire.
In the new special ward, officials found missing or incomplete hydrant boxes and door closers. Several areas were undergoing civil work without adequate fire safety backup, the DFS noted.
'These are not just technicalities — these lapses could prove fatal in a real emergency,' said a senior fire official. 'Hospitals must remain operationally safe even during renovations. That's a basic regulatory expectation.'
Repeated attempts to reach the Lok Nayak Hospital administration for a statement were unsuccessful. Calls and messages went unanswered.
Institutional apathy or systemic lag?
Fire safety experts and public health advocates say the spate of FSC denials reflects a deeper structural problem — lack of routine compliance and inadequate investment in fire infrastructure.
'Institutional apathy is a real issue,' said one former DFS chief, adding that while inspections are becoming more rigorous, many public buildings still treat fire audits as a formality. 'There's also a shortage of trained fire safety officers in many institutions, which leads to poor maintenance and reactive compliance.'
A senior government official who oversees urban safety policy acknowledged that delays in budget approvals and lack of coordination between departments often slow down fire preparedness upgrades in public buildings. 'There's also the issue of legacy buildings that were constructed decades ago without modern fire planning,' the official said. 'Retrofitting them is time-consuming and expensive — but unavoidable.'
The DFS, meanwhile, has begun increasing scrutiny of FSC applications, with more stringent inspections and cross-verification. Officials said they plan to re-inspect several hospitals and police buildings over the next few months and have issued advisories to all major government institutions.
'If even the Capital's most high-profile public buildings cannot maintain basic fire safety, that's a serious red flag,' said a fire safety consultant. 'This isn't just about paperwork — it's about whether public institutions can protect lives.'