Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Aug 29: The Delhi government has notified a comprehensive set of mandatory fire-prevention and fire-safety standards for buildings in the national capital, covering emergency access for fire engines, fire detection and alarm systems, sprinklers, firefighting water storage, fire lifts and emergency power.
The provisions have been notified through the Delhi Fire Service (Amendment) Rules, 2026, issued by the Delhi Fire Service under Section 63 of the Delhi Fire Service Act, 2007. The notification was issued on August 28.
The new rules provide that minimum fire-safety requirements will be determined according to the height and occupancy classification of a building, as prescribed under the Building Bye-Laws. Among the key requirements is a minimum six-metre right of way for fire engines up to the premises, ensuring that firefighting vehicles can reach buildings during emergencies.
Buildings, wherever applicable, will have to be equipped with fire extinguishers, first-aid hose reels, automatic fire detection and alarm systems, Manually Operated Electronic Fire Alarm (MOEFA) systems, public-address and/or voice-evacuation systems, and automatic sprinkler and fire-suppression systems.
The rules also prescribe measures to protect escape routes from fire and smoke. These include fire-check doors and/or pressurisation systems, fire and smoke barriers, fire-stopping measures and smoke-management systems.
Internal firefighting infrastructure will include wet risers and/or down-comers, yard hydrants or ring mains, besides a fire pump house with pumping arrangements and protected access for firefighters. Buildings will also be required to maintain captive water storage for firefighting purposes, wherever applicable.
For evacuation and emergency movement, the requirements include exit signage, floor numbering and reflective-tape markings in corridors leading to exits. Fire towers and fire lifts will also have to be provided wherever required under the applicable building-safety provisions.
The amended rules further prescribe emergency power supply for critical fire and life-safety systems. This includes fire pumps; pressurisation and smoke-venting systems along with associated dampers and actuators; firemen's lifts and other lifts where applicable; exit-signage lighting; emergency lighting; fire alarm systems; and public-address systems used for emergency voice evacuation and announcements.
Emergency power provisions also cover magnetic door-hold-open devices and lighting in fire command centres. The rules additionally provide for fire-check floors and refuge areas, fire-control rooms equipped with Automated Continuous Monitoring Systems (ACMS), and special fire-protection systems for buildings or occupancies involving special risks.
Where the Building Bye-Laws do not prescribe fire-prevention and fire-safety measures for a particular class of occupancy or building, the Director of the Delhi Fire Service may require owners or occupiers to adopt additional measures in accordance with international standards specified by the Fire Prevention Wing.
The government has also retained powers to relax, modify or annul specific fire-safety requirements for particular classes of occupancy or buildings in special areas, or for buildings that were constructed or were under construction before the new provisions came into force, provided reasons are recorded in writing.
The amended rules also replace the existing Form J inspection report used by fire-safety auditors. The revised inspection format covers compliance with the prescribed fire-prevention and safety standards, including access for fire engines, firefighting equipment, water storage, exit arrangements, fire lifts, emergency power and other safety systems.
Importantly, the Delhi Fire Service (Amendment) Rules, 2026 will come into force only from the date the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) notifies the amended Unified Building Bye-Laws (UBBL), 2016 under Section 57 of the Delhi Development Act, 1957. Applications that are pending on the date the amended rules commence will continue to be processed under the provisions applicable on the date of their application.
The latest notification follows wider fire-safety reforms introduced by Delhi earlier this year, including provisions for third-party fire-safety audits and automated monitoring of firefighting systems in specified buildings.
New Delhi, August 29 (Daijiworld Media Network) — Delhi has notified stricter fire-safety requirements for buildings, making a wide range of fire-prevention and emergency-response measures mandatory depending on building height and occupancy.
The notification, issued on August 28 under the Delhi Fire Service (Amendment) Rules, 2026, specifies that buildings must comply with the applicable Building Bye-Laws on fire-engine access, fire detection, alarms, sprinklers, hydrants, firefighting water storage, evacuation facilities and emergency power.
The rules require a minimum six-metre right of way for fire engines up to the premises. They also mandate, wherever applicable, fire extinguishers, first-aid hose reels, automatic fire detection and alarm systems, MOEFA, public-address or voice-evacuation systems and automatic sprinklers.
Exits will have to be protected through fire-check doors and/or pressurisation systems, while fire and smoke barriers, fire-stopping and smoke-management systems will also be required.
Internal firefighting arrangements will include wet risers or down-comers, yard hydrants or ring mains and fire pump houses with protected access for firefighters. Buildings will also require captive firefighting water storage, exit signage, floor numbering and reflective markings in corridors leading to exits.
Fire towers and fire lifts will be provided wherever applicable. Emergency power will have to support fire pumps, pressurisation and smoke-venting systems, firemen's lifts, exit and emergency lighting, fire alarms and emergency public-address systems, besides other prescribed fire and life-safety equipment.
The rules further provide for fire-check floors, refuge areas, fire-control rooms with Automated Continuous Monitoring Systems and special fire-protection systems for special-risk occupancies.
For buildings or occupancies where the Building Bye-Laws do not specify fire-safety measures, the Delhi Fire Service Director may require additional safeguards based on international standards. The government may also relax or modify requirements for specified buildings or areas under prescribed circumstances.
The amended rules, however, will not take effect immediately. They will come into force from the date the DDA notifies the amended UBBL-2016 under the Delhi Development Act. Applications pending on that date will be dealt with under the provisions in force when the applications were submitted.