Delhi is set to revise its fire-safety system and introduce trained third-party auditors to inspect safety arrangements in buildings, as the government moves to improve emergency response and reduce loss of life and property during fires.
The proposed changes include amendments to the rules governing the Delhi Fire Service, according to a report by Jagran – New Delhi. The plan will allow qualified auditors to assist with inspections of fire-safety provisions in buildings. Auditors and architects empanelled by municipal corporations are expected to be shortlisted and trained for the role.
Delhi Home Minister Ashish Sood said the government wanted to develop a modern, fast and fully capable emergency response system in the capital. The proposed framework was prepared following a recent review meeting chaired by Lieutenant Governor T.S. Sandhu, according to the report.
The move comes as Delhi’s fire-response challenges are shaped by the city’s dense and uneven built environment. The government’s review considered risks linked to narrow lanes, high population density and traffic congestion, all of which can delay the movement of fire tenders and emergency personnel during an incident.
The assessment also identified overloaded electricity wires as a fire risk. The plan further takes into account the increasing use of plastic and artificial decorative materials inside homes, which can add to the hazards associated with fire. The source report did not provide details of the number of buildings to be covered, the proposed inspection schedule or the standards that third-party auditors will have to meet.
Under the proposed arrangement, municipal panels of auditors and architects would provide a pool of professionals for building inspections. Their training and listing would be important to how the system operates, because fire-safety checks will involve both technical compliance and practical assessment of access, evacuation and emergency-response conditions. The government has not yet publicly detailed how the auditors’ findings will be reviewed by the Delhi Fire Service or municipal authorities.
The planned rule changes would shift part of the inspection process beyond the existing departmental structure, while leaving the government responsible for the wider fire-safety framework. Details on enforcement powers, penalties for non-compliance, the frequency of inspections and the treatment of buildings that fail an audit have not been specified in the information available in the report.
The proposed changes also place emergency response alongside prevention. In a city where narrow streets, congestion and dense development can complicate access, faster response will depend not only on fire-service capacity but also on whether buildings maintain usable access routes and effective safety systems. The next formal step is the revision of the Delhi Fire Service rules and the development of the planned auditor and architect panel.
