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The Sarojini Nagar GPRA redevelopment project, a key government housing initiative in South Delhi led by NBCC Ltd, has hit a regulatory hurdle after the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) rejected its building plans for non-compliance with fire-safety norms. The DFS review found inadequate space for fire-tender movement, insufficient open areas, substandard exit widths and refuge zones, and poorly placed hydrants. The basement parking design also failed to meet safety circulation requirements. The DFS has directed the developer to revise access roads, stair dimensions, hydrant layouts, and emergency routes before resubmitting plans. The decision highlights stricter enforcement of fire-safety standards in large-scale government redevelopment projects.
The Sarojini Nagar GPRA redevelopment project is one of the flagship initiatives intended to transform seven government resident quarters in south Delhi into modern residential and mixed-use facilities. The plan, led by NBCC Ltd for the GPRA site, proposed several towers and a commercial hub. However, the DFS technical review found that the submitted building plans failed to satisfy core fire-safety standards as prescribed under the NBC and DFS rules. Advertisement
Specifically, the DFS flagged that the proposed layout did not allow adequate manoeuvring space for fire-tenders around high-rise blocks, open areas were insufficient, exit doorways and refuge zones did not conform to minimum width and placement requirements, and hydrant locations were improperly planned. Additionally, the basement parking arrangements lacked sufficient circulation space for emergency (fire) movement and included blocks where the distance between compartments and circulation spaces was below standard.
Given these deficiencies, the DFS refused to approve the drawings and formally directed the developer to correct all highlighted issues and resubmit the plans. The instruction includes modifying access roads, stair and exit dimensions, hydrant placement, and basement layout along with circulation plans for fire-tenders. The decision underscores the regulator's insistence on adherence to fire-prevention and life-safety norms before large-scale government-colony redevelopments can proceed.
The refusal by the Delhi Fire Services to approve the redevelopment plans for the Sarojini Nagar GPRA colony underscores a sharper regulatory stance on fire-safety compliance within government-driven housing projects. The developer now faces a critical revision phase during which all deficiencies must be addressed before the project can advance. Given the scale of the entire redevelopment drive across seven colonies, timely compliance and resubmission will be critical in maintaining the overall schedule and avoiding further regulatory delays.
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