Telangana State Govt Likely To Tighten Fire Services Law
Fire services Act amendment back in focus after years of BRS govt's neglect
Hyderabad:After nearly four years of inaction by the previous BRS government, proposals to amend the Telangana Fire Services Act, 1999, are back on the agenda as the Congress government, led by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, considers sweeping changes to tighten fire safety norms across the state.
The Telangana state fire services department had submitted proposals in June 2020 during the previous BRS regime to amend the outdated 1999 Act, citing its lack of enforcement power and insufficient coverage of various building types. Despite repeated appeals, the BRS government failed to act on the proposals before leaving office in December 2023.
Under the current law, only high-rise commercial buildings above 15 metres and residential buildings above 18 metres are mandated to obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the fire services department before obtaining building permits. The Act also permits a maximum penalty of `25,000 or three months of imprisonment for violations, which the department deems ineffective and inadequate to ensure compliance.
The fire department is now pushing for comprehensive amendments modeled on the Delhi Fire Services Act, 2007. These changes would bring all buildings, regardless of height, under the purview of the law. The revised regulations would require mandatory fire safety installations such as sprinklers, alarms, underground water storage and floor-wise fire extinguishers, even in low-rise structures.
The department has recommended extending the fire safety regulations to include all hospitals and non-high-rise commercial buildings, which are currently exempt. The proposals also seek powers similar to those granted to the police under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), enabling the arrest of violators and immediate legal action, something not possible under the existing legislation.
Currently, the fire department can only issue notices and pursue lengthy legal cases that often drag on for years. The proposed amendments aim to enable quicker enforcement, heavier penalties and stricter accountability for non-compliance.
According to GHMC data, the city has around 19 lakh buildings that pay property tax. Of these, an estimated 70,000 structures are mixed-use buildings with both residential and commercial occupancy. Fire officials argue that bringing all these buildings under regulatory oversight is crucial to preventing disasters.
The urgency of the reforms has gained traction in the wake of the Gulzar Houz fire mishap. Revanth Reddy has ordered a comprehensive inquiry and tasked officials with making recommendations to overhaul the fire safety regime. The state cabinet is expected to deliberate on the proposed amendments in its upcoming meeting expected by this month-end.
