New fire safety measures have made this mandatory, otherwise they wont get required clearances or even Occupation Certificates
Even commercial outlets and corporate structures need to abide by the new fire safety norms, which include the installation of sprinklers. Pic/Sneha Kharabe
Sprinklers in your flat - yes that's right. As per new fire safety measures, all new residential buildings must have sprinklers inside the flats, failing which the projects may not get the required clearances from the Fire Department and Occupation Certificate from BMC.
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Chief Fire Officer, Mumbai and Director Maharashtra Fire Safety Services, Prabhat Rahangdale said, "We are strictly going to adhere to the fire safety measures across the state, especially in high-rises. Sprinklers, smoke detectors and fire alarms are recommended in flats for high-rises above 70 metres (23 floors) and in common passage areas for buildings which are over 22 metres (7 floors). This has been made mandatory in the National Building Code amendment in 2016."
Rahangdale added, "Even commercial outlets and corporate structures need to abide by the new fire safety norms. We have already conveyed this to the architects and builders. If they fail to adhere to the fire safety norms, they won't get their clearances."
Stricter measures
Every time a high-rise fire happens, the first thing that people speak about is the availability of the snorkel/ ladder (the tallest snorkel the Fire Department has, is 90 metres). But what people do not see, is the firemen trying to douse the fire from inside the building. Rahangdale said most of the time, they have found that the internal fire equipment does not work, making their job very difficult.
Rahangdale added, "It is also compulsory for every society to submit a mandatory Form B after conducting an audit of fire safety equipment installed in the building, but most of the societies have not complied with these norms. We had even linked the fire safety norms on the municipal corporation website, and notices have been issued to certain societies which have failed to ensure that the inbuilt fire equipment was maintained."
He added, "Flat owners in high-rises must ensure that the society conducts the mandatory checks of sprinklers inside their flats every six months and submit the report (Form B) to the Fire Department, failing which the society officer bearers can even be prosecuted under the Maharashtra Fire Safety Act."
B D Khargupikar, former Fire Chief, Mumbai agreed. He said, "The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) (the world's leading advocate of fire protection) and even the British Codes have stated that high-rises need to have sprinklers inside the apartments / flats etc, and in common passage areas. Sprinklers will control the spread of fire and prevent major damage. It also helps fire service men to extinguish the fire faster. Technology has become so advanced that even pop-up sprinklers are available. They cannot be seen and can be placed in the false ceiling. Safety of life and property are more important than the aesthetics of the flat/apartment."
What architects say
Architect Hafeez Contractor said, "We have been making provisions for sprinklers in high-rises in Delhi and Gurgaon, but have never done this in Mumbai earlier. But now that it is mandatory, we will abide by the fire norms here too."
Abhijit Deshpande, a consulting architect based in Pune said, "At present, we are emphasising that the common passages should compulsorily have sprinklers and other fire-fighting measures. We will have to check the norms."
Industry expert says
Dharmesh Jain, Chairman and Managing Director Nirmal Lifestyle, also President of Maharashtra Chamber of Housing Industry said, "Providing sprinklers in common passage areas in high-rises used to be easy for maintenance for both the developer and the society. But individual flat owners own the premises, making maintenance of fire equipment a bit difficult."
The Maharashtra Fire Safety Services is giving final touches to software that will be introduced shortly to keep regular check on societies which have not submitted the mandatory Form B.
Rahangdale said, "The system will automatically keep check on societies that have not submitted the mandatory fire maintenance report (Form B) every six months. Fire notices will be issued and defaulters may have to face prosecution."
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No of floors above which sprinklers, smoke detectors and fire alarms are recommended in high-rises
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