Towers’ fire safety may get boost

In a move that could improve safety standards in high-rises across the city, civic chief Subodh Kumar has proposed a complete revamp of fire safety regulations, which fall under the development control regulations (DCR), 1991.

In a move that could improve safety standards in high-rises across the city, civic chief Subodh Kumar has proposed a complete revamp of fire safety regulations, which fall under the development control regulations (DCR), 1991.

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Among the significant changes that Kumar has proposed, all buildings taller than 70 metres must have fire escape chutes.

“Having chutes will ensure that people can evacuate the building safely,” said civic chief.

Kumar also wants to do away with refuge floors, and instead, has proposed ‘refuge areas’ after every second floor to accommodate residents of those two floors, in case of an emergency. These refuge areas will have to be cantilevered and only then will they be kept free of Floor Space Index (FSI), which means the built-up space occupied by these areas will not be included while computing the FSI.

The civic body has also proposed construction of a fire check floor at an interval of 70 metres in high rises to arrest the spread of fire.