The special regulations drafted in 2009 for buildings vulnerable to man-made disasters had laid out requirements across six parameters. These included a blast-resistant design of the entire structure, requirements for quick evacuation during emergencies, provisions for fire safety if fires likely to follow man-made disasters, a requirement for electronic surveillance systems around buildings with open spaces, an emergency control room and motion detectors.
The fire safety requirements mandated in the special regulations included extensive sprinkler systems in the building, a minimum of two openable windows on each floor, and a provision to preferably carry out cooking in a detached separate building, in case of commercial establishments.
On Monday, the Maharashtra government informed the Bombay High Court that it has issued a government resolution (GR) to set up a four-member committee. The committee has been given two months’ time to submit its recommendations pertaining to the enforcement of the fire safety norms based on eight terms of reference set out in the GR.
The panel has been asked to prepare Special Safety Control Rules/Regulations to secure buildings from man-made calamities. It has also been mandated to recommend necessary modifications to be carried out in 2034 Development Control and Promotion Regulations (DCPR) as well as in Unified DCPR in this regard.
The panel will recommend types of buildings the Special Control Regulation can be made applicable to and will also suggest measures necessary for protection of the building-structure from explosives. The panel will also be expected to make suggestions for measures to develop a surveillance system to keep watch on the public and open spaces of the buildings to which the said regulations are applicable.
In addition, it will recommend provisions to shift people in the buildings concerned in case of emergency.