Getting fire safety clearance for buildings in Delhi may soon become faster and easier. The development comes at a time after an 80-year-old retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer lost his life after a fire broke out following an AC blast on the ground floor of their three-storey residence in south Delhi’s Hauz Khas Enclave late on Wednesday night.ALSO READ: “Not Australia…”: Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw says India rejected her brewing career because she was a woman, pushing her to build BioconThe Delhi government has changed the Delhi Fire Service (DFS) Rules and introduced a new third-party fire audit system. Under the new rules, people can now hire government-approved private fire safety auditors to get fire safety certificates for buildings instead of depending only on the Delhi Fire Service.The new system was notified under the Delhi Fire Service (Amendment) Rules, 2025 on May 26.ALSO READ: How a JPMorgan employee won $4 million after being fired over a $600 food platterPrivate Auditors to Issue Fire Safety CertificatesEarlier, fire safety certificates (FSCs) were issued only by Delhi Fire Service. Now, empanelled fire safety auditors (FSAs) will also be allowed to issue these certificates for all categories of buildings that require fire clearance.Delhi Home Minister Ashish Sood said the move aims to reduce delays and improve compliance.“Delhi govt has decentralised the process of fire safety certification to speed up the process, reduce delays in inspections, increase compliance and create a professional fire auditing system while the DFS will focus on enforcement and compliance and the core work of firefighting. It is part of the reforms BJP govt has planned in line with minimum govt and maximum governance.”The government said certificates issued by approved auditors will be treated as officially valid under the authority of the DFS director.DFS Can Still Inspect BuildingsEven after a certificate is issued, DFS officials will still have the power to inspect buildings and verify safety compliance.If violations, false claims, or safety failures are found, the department can suspend or cancel the certificate and take action against both the building owner and the auditor.To maintain accountability, the rules require DFS officers to randomly inspect at least 5% of certificates issued every quarter.Three-Level Auditor System IntroducedThe amended rules have created a three-tier structure for fire safety auditors based on qualifications and experience.Level-3 auditors will have the authority to certify all categories of buildings and occupancies.Strict penalties have also been introduced for false or faulty certifications. Auditors may face fines ranging from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 10 lakh. Repeat violations can lead to blacklisting and permanent deregistration.To avoid conflicts of interest, auditors cannot certify buildings where they or their firms were involved in design, consultancy, installation, or maintenance work.Real-Time Digital Monitoring for High-Risk BuildingsThe new rules also introduce an internet-based automated monitoring system for high-risk and high-rise buildings.The system will continuously monitor fire safety equipment such as hydrant pumps, sprinkler systems, fire water tanks, smoke detectors, alarm systems, staircase pressurisation fans, and basement ventilation systems.Sensors installed in buildings will track whether these systems are functioning properly. If a fault is detected, alerts will be sent to building owners, occupiers, and empanelled auditors through mobile apps, SMS, and email notifications.Monitoring System to Be Rolled Out in Two PhasesIn the first phase, monitoring data and alerts will be available to building management teams and auditors.In the second phase, major emergency alerts — including pump failures, low water pressure, or faults in alarm systems — will also be directly sent to the Delhi Fire Service for faster emergency response and enforcement action.The rules state that the system must operate 24x7 through cloud connectivity, maintain event logs, provide battery backup during power cuts, and ensure at least 99% uptime.Delhi Fire Service Restructured Into Five ZonesAs part of a larger administrative overhaul, Delhi’s fire service system has now been divided into five zones — central, east, west, north, and south.These zones will further include 13 fire divisions and 39 subdivisions to improve fire response management and emergency coverage across the city.(With TOI inputs)
Retired IAS officer dies after AC blast: Delhiites can now hire private fire auditors for fire safety certificates
Delhi's fire safety clearance process is set to become faster with the introduction of a third-party fire audit system. This comes after a retired IAS officer died due to an AC blast in his South Delhi home. Approved private auditors can now issue fire safety certificates, decentralizing the process and allowing the Delhi Fire Service to focus on enforcement. A new digital monitoring system for high-risk buildings will also enhance real-time safety checks.
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