HYDERABAD: A majority of the housing projects being registered under the Telangana State Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) are not equipped with adequate fire safety measures.
Barring a few high-rise constructions undertaken by notable builders, several buildings have not abided by fire safety norms. For instance, a six-floor building coming up at Madhura Nagar, registered with RERA, has not made any provisions for installation of fire safety systems.
As per rules, buildings taller than 15 metres should obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the fire department whereas those below 15 metres should obtain NOC from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC). However, there are many real estate projects registered with RERA that have not obtained fire NOCs from the concerned departments. Most of these projects are those measuring below 15 metres.
Fire department officials point out that many of the buildings that are coming up nowadays use materials that are highly combustible, increasing fire risks. Regional fire officer of State Disaster Response and Fire Safety Department, V Papaiah, said: “False ceiling, foam ceiling, additional lights and piped gas connections, commonly used for the construction of residential buildings, can cause fire hazards.”