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Economic Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Economic Times
DDA, key agency for approving Delhi buildings, gets first fire safety NOC for Vikas Minar after two decades
Synopsis After over two decades of fire safety lapses, the Delhi Development Authority's Vikas Minar secured a fire NOC on August 6, valid for three years, contingent on maintaining safety standards. Previously, repeated inspections revealed serious deficiencies, including unsealed electrical shafts and non-functional fire detectors. Separately, DDA's INA Colony office also received fire clearance after six years, subject to specific conditions. Agencies DDA Vikas Minar The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has secured a fire no-objection certificate (NOC) for its central office building, Vikas Minar, for the first time since 2001. The Delhi Fire Services (DFS) issued the clearance on August 6, stating that the premises meet fire safety norms and are fit for business occupancy for three years, subject to safety conditions, a TOI report over 20 years, the DDA's Vikas Minar faced repeated refusals to renew its fire safety certificate. Each inspection found serious deficiencies, preventing the renewal. The most recent denial came in April 2025, when DFS noted that problems highlighted in 2022 remained unaddressed. According to the NOC letter, "It is certified that Vikas Minar DDA building in ITO—comprising a basement, ground, and 22 upper floors—was earlier granted NOC by the department in Jan 2001. Now, the premises were re-inspected by the officers concerned of this department on July 23 in the presence of fire consultants and executive engineers. It was found that the said building is deemed to have complied with the fire prevention and fire safety requirements in accordance with Rule 33 of the Delhi Fire Services Rules, 2010, and the premises are fit for business occupancy with effect from Aug 6 for a period of three years, in accordance with Rule 36."The DFS made it clear that the NOC is conditional. "Any loss of life or property due to non-functional fire safety measures shall be the responsibility of the management, and any deviation in the construction shall be verified by the concerned building sanctioning authority," the department Minar, constructed in 1976, was the first building in Delhi taller than the Qutub Minar. It houses offices of several DDA departments. In June 2022, DFS found significant safety issues during inspection. These included unsealed electrical shafts, non-working fire detectors on some floors, insufficient sprinkler coverage, and staircases and lift lobbies cluttered with furniture and storage. These shortcomings were formally reported to the then DDA commissioner-cum-secretary. Locals had pointed out the irony of DDA, the main housing authority for the city, not having a valid fire safety certificate for its own busy DDA's headquarters in INA Colony, South Delhi, received a fire NOC on July 7 after six years without clearance. The certificate, valid for three years, covers blocks A, B, and D, with conditions including removal of basement encroachments within three months or risk of certificate revocation. The INA Colony office blocks share a common basement, with varying floor heights across the blocks.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
DDA, key agency for approving Delhi buildings, gets first fire safety NOC for Vikas Minar after two decades
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Long delay due to unresolved safety issues Conditional clearance and management responsibility History and previous inspection findings Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Fire clearance for DDA's INA Colony office The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has secured a fire no-objection certificate (NOC) for its central office building, Vikas Minar , for the first time since 2001. The Delhi Fire Services (DFS) issued the clearance on August 6, stating that the premises meet fire safety norms and are fit for business occupancy for three years, subject to safety conditions, a TOI report over 20 years, the DDA's Vikas Minar faced repeated refusals to renew its fire safety certificate. Each inspection found serious deficiencies, preventing the renewal. The most recent denial came in April 2025, when DFS noted that problems highlighted in 2022 remained to the NOC letter, "It is certified that Vikas Minar DDA building in ITO—comprising a basement, ground, and 22 upper floors—was earlier granted NOC by the department in Jan 2001. Now, the premises were re-inspected by the officers concerned of this department on July 23 in the presence of fire consultants and executive engineers. It was found that the said building is deemed to have complied with the fire prevention and fire safety requirements in accordance with Rule 33 of the Delhi Fire Services Rules, 2010, and the premises are fit for business occupancy with effect from Aug 6 for a period of three years, in accordance with Rule 36."The DFS made it clear that the NOC is conditional. "Any loss of life or property due to non-functional fire safety measures shall be the responsibility of the management, and any deviation in the construction shall be verified by the concerned building sanctioning authority," the department Minar, constructed in 1976, was the first building in Delhi taller than the Qutub Minar. It houses offices of several DDA departments. In June 2022, DFS found significant safety issues during inspection. These included unsealed electrical shafts, non-working fire detectors on some floors, insufficient sprinkler coverage, and staircases and lift lobbies cluttered with furniture and storage. These shortcomings were formally reported to the then DDA had pointed out the irony of DDA, the main housing authority for the city, not having a valid fire safety certificate for its own busy DDA's headquarters in INA Colony, South Delhi, received a fire NOC on July 7 after six years without clearance. The certificate, valid for three years, covers blocks A, B, and D, with conditions including removal of basement encroachments within three months or risk of certificate revocation. The INA Colony office blocks share a common basement, with varying floor heights across the blocks.
Time of India
6 days ago
- General
- Time of India
After over two decades, DDA's Vikas Minar secures fire safety clearance
New Delhi: After decades of delays and repeated denials, Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has finally secured a fire no-objection certificate (NOC) for its central office, Vikas Minar, for a period of three years. In a letter dated Aug 6, Delhi Fire Services (DFS) informed DDA that the premises are now fit for business occupancy, subject to compliance with safety conditions. This marks the first successful clearance since 2001. Every subsequent inspection over the years had highlighted deficiencies, preventing the renewal of the certificate. The most recent denial came in April 2025, when DFS highlighted to DDA that the issues flagged in 2022 had still not been resolved. You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi "It is certified that Vikas Minar DDA building in ITO—comprising a basement, ground, and 22 upper floors—was earlier granted NOC by the department in Jan 2001. Now, the premises were re-inspected by the officers concerned of this department on July 23 in the presence of fire consultants and executive engineers. It was found that the said building is deemed to have complied with the fire prevention and fire safety requirements in accordance with Rule 33 of the Delhi Fire Services Rules, 2010, and the premises are fit for business occupancy with effect from Aug 6 for a period of three years, in accordance with Rule 36," stated the NoC. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Woman sells ring given by ex, then jeweler tells her 'This can't be true' Daily Sport X Undo However, DFS clarified that the certificate is conditional. "Any loss of life or property due to non-functional fire safety measures shall be the responsibility of the management, and any deviation in the construction shall be verified by the concerned building sanctioning authority," the department noted. Constructed in 1976, Vikas Minar, was the first building in Delhi to exceed the height of Qutab Minar. The multi-storey building houses offices of various departments of DDA. During the June 2022 inspection, DFS reported serious shortcomings—unsealed electrical shafts, non-functional detectors on some floors and insufficient sprinkler coverage. Staircases and lift lobbies were also found encroached with dumped furniture and storage. The department communicated these shortcomings to the then commissioner-cum-secretary of the DDA. Despite being the primary organisation responsible for housing development in the city, DDA was unable to obtain the necessary certification for its own premises, which receives numerous visitors daily, claimed locals earlier. Notably, on July 7, DDA's headquarters at south Delhi's INA Colony also received a fire NOC after six years. The clearance, valid for three years, came with conditions such as clearing basement encroachments within three months or risking revocation. The NOC applies to blocks A, B, and D of the premises — with A, D, and part of B comprising ground plus three floors, and the remaining part of Block B rising to seven floors. The premises share a common basement. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Hindustan Times
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Delhi Police HQ, LNJP Hospital denied fire safety clearance
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.'
