Delhi govt looks at engaging third party agency to give fire NOCs
'In some states, fire departments no longer issue fire NOCs. Instead, the task has been delegated to private fire safety agencies that are certified by the state after an assessment of their capabilities and expertise,' said an official in the home department, which oversees the fire services.
'This is being explored to allow fire departments to focus on their core job—firefighting—without the added burden of handling certification requests. While the idea is under examination, no proposal has been drafted yet,' the official added.
As per the tentative plan, third-party agencies may be tasked with auditing large establishments such as factories, with the fire department issuing certificates based on their reports. For smaller establishments like office spaces, the agencies could be authorised to issue certifications directly. 'Nothing has been finalised yet. All options are being considered,' the official said.
The development comes shortly after the Delhi government scrapped the requirement of Delhi Police licensing clearance for seven categories of businesses, including hotels, restaurants, discothèques, swimming pools, amusement parks, video game parlours, and auditoriums, in a bid to reduce bureaucratic hurdles.
Fire NOCs are currently mandatory for high-rise residential buildings, commercial establishments, factories, hospitals, restaurants, and offices.
The official cited above said in a recent meeting chaired by lieutenant governor VK Saxena and attended by chief minister Rekha Gupta, departments were directed to explore steps to improve ease of doing business in Delhi.
'As part of those directions, we are exploring the feasibility of shifting the responsibility for issuing fire certificates. But the department wants to proceed cautiously and study models adopted by other states to ensure that fire safety standards are not compromised,' the official said.
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