Over 90% of Gurugram establishments fail fire safety inspections, PGs top list

Officials found expired extinguishers, faulty alarms and missing sprinklers. Defaulters have been given time to comply or face sealing and legal action.

More than 90% of establishments inspected in Gurugram’s ongoing fire safety drive have been found lacking adequate firefighting measures, with paying guest (PG) accommodations accounting for the largest share of violations, officials familiar with the exercise said on Monday.

Over 90% of Gurugram establishments fail fire safety inspections, PGs top list

Gurugram fire department officials, requesting anonymity, said a total of 540 establishments have been inspected so far, of which 504 were found deficient in fire safety compliance. Notices have been issued to all violators directing them to rectify the shortcomings, they added.

Officials said the final number of establishments to be covered cannot yet be determined as commercial units frequently open and shut across the city. So far, no establishment has been sealed or prosecuted, with the department focusing on giving owners an opportunity to comply.

The fire officials cited above said that the most common deficiencies include expired or empty fire extinguishers, non-functional fire alarm and smoke detection systems, and the absence of basic firefighting infrastructure such as sprinkler systems and water pipelines.

Of the 504 establishments found violating fire safety norms, 305 were PG accommodations, followed by 125 restaurants, 72 hotels, one banquet hall and one commercial complex. Officials also found nearly 12 hotels operating without a mandatory fire no-objection certificate (NOC).

Officials said no establishment has yet been sealed, with owners first being given time to install safety equipment and obtain or renew fire NOCs. (HT)

Officials said defaulters are given a time-bound window to install the required fire safety equipment and apply for or renew their fire NOC. In some cases, follow-up inspections are also conducted.

“If they fail to install the fire safety equipment within the given time frame, then we will seal the establishments, and legal action will be taken,” said Narendra Yadav, fire safety officer at the fire department, Sector 29, Gurugram.

The inspection drive was launched in early June after the Hauz Rani fire in Delhi, where at least 23 people died on June 3 at the illegally operated Flourish Stays bed-and-breakfast facility, which was found to have violated multiple fire safety norms.

Under the National Building Code and Haryana Fire Service regulations, all buildings above 15 metres in height must obtain a fire NOC and install essential fire safety systems, including fire extinguishers, water pipelines, alarms and sprinklers.

“The survey is still ongoing, with hotels, PGs, restaurants, guest houses and high-rises being inspected. Seven dedicated teams have been deployed to carry out the exercise systematically,” Yadav said.

Officials said essential fire safety infrastructure includes fire extinguishers, sprinkler systems, fire alarms, smoke detectors, and clearly marked and accessible emergency exits.

HT had reported in March that a fire department survey identified more than 800 high-rise buildings operating without a fire NOC. Officials said around 300 have since applied for the certificate, though it is yet to be issued. “We will conduct follow-up inspections to assess how many have complied with the prescribed fire safety norms,” Yadav said.