Fire expert must for all high-rises buildings in Surat
Fire department of the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has started issuing notices to residential apartments and commercial complexes having height more than 15 metre. This is being done to make them comply with the provisions of fire safety under new GDCR of 2017. Under the provisions, apartment and complexes will have to hire services either of a fire consultant, fire officer and fireman, depending on the category under which they fall. The onus of fire safety of apartment or complex will be on these officials as they have to ensure proper fire safety system and obtain no objection certificate (NOC) and maintain the system. The new Gujarat Comprehensive Development Control Regulations (GDCR) of 2017 came into effect in Surat in April 2018. However, the fire department of SMC has not given building use (BU) certificate to any new building. There are nearly 600 buildings constructed in the city which are above 25 metre in height before the regulation came into effect. These buildings have been issued notices to comply with the fire safety provisions of new GDCR. Chief fire officer, SMC, Basant Parikh said, “We have 600 odd highrises and we have started sending them notices to comply with the rules prescribed in new GDCR. We are in the process of sorting them out according to the category they fall in and depending on their category, they will have to hire services of officials as prescribed.” “There are fifteen different categories depending on their height, area and other things,” deputy commissioner, fire, SMC, N B Upadhyay said. He added, “Once the notices are given, we will wait for them to comply till the legal provision of time expires. After that, those who don’t comply, will be served legal notice.” There are three categories of officials to be hired. Fire consultant, fire officer and fireman. Two of the three are mandatory in any type of building. A consultant who will oversee fire safety system and fireman or officers will work on ground level to maintain the facility. “Once all the facilities are installed and required people hired, complexes or apartment blocks can apply for NOC from fire and emergency department,” an official from the fire department said.
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