Pune Municipal Corporation has proposed an annual fire safety fee for large housing societies and establishments, including industrial, commercial and other high-occupancy buildings, as it moves to recover unpaid charges and strengthen compliance with fire safety requirements. The proposal is awaiting approval from Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishor Ram.
Under the proposed system, eligible establishments and large housing societies would pay an annual fee equivalent to 1% of the fire safety charge collected when the building received its final occupancy certificate. The annual payment would begin one year after the final no-objection certificate is issued and would be linked to renewal of the fire safety certificate.
The civic body expects the measure to generate between Rs 15 crore and Rs 20 crore annually. Pune Municipal Corporation currently collects around Rs 150 crore to Rs 200 crore each year through fire safety charges levied during permissions for new construction and the issuance of final occupancy certificates. The proposed annual levy is expected to add 1% of that base to municipal revenues.
The move comes as the city records a growing number of high-rise buildings, large residential societies, industrial projects and commercial establishments. According to the report, many establishments have not obtained the required fire department no-objection certificate or have failed to renew it regularly after the certificate expired.
The fire department has launched inspections across the city following directions from the municipal commissioner. The inspection drive covers coaching classes, paying guest accommodation, educational buildings, hazardous warehouses, scrap shops, hospitals, petrol pumps and other establishments. The department has found that several premises did not have the required fire safety measures in place, according to the report.
The proposed recovery mechanism is based on provisions in the fire safety law that allow the civic authority to collect the charge. The department plans to identify establishments that have not obtained a fire safety no-objection certificate or have not renewed an expired certificate, and recover the dues from them.
The issue affects both municipal finances and the continuing safety obligations of building owners and occupiers. A fire safety approval obtained during construction or before occupation does not remove the requirement for subsequent compliance and renewal. For large housing societies, the proposed system would make annual fire safety payments part of the continuing cost of maintaining the building’s approvals.
The municipal corporation has also issued a public notice on the proposed fee collection. The final decision will depend on the municipal commissioner’s approval, after which the fire department is expected to proceed with identifying liable establishments and recovering the annual charges.
