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Plans Of The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority Are Still On Paper
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Highlights
- A recent fire on the 19th floor of a Mumbai high-rise has drawn attention to multi-story buildings (MSB) in the Chennai Metropolitan Area that have violated fire safety regulations (CMA).
- Several commercial structures encroach on setback spaces, preventing fire tenders from moving during emergencies.
A recent fire on the 19th floor of a Mumbai high-rise has drawn attention to multi-story buildings (MSB) in the Chennai Metropolitan Area that have violated fire safety regulations (CMA).
While the official portal of the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) states that 43 MSBs have no objection certificates (NOC) pending with the department of fire and rescue services, activists fighting building violations claim that several commercial structures encroach on setback spaces, preventing fire tenders from moving during emergencies.
Commercial structures, mostly in George Town, Vepery, and T Nagar, are among the MSBs awaiting NOCs, with six of them being commercial-cum-residential structures.
The majority of the structures lacked firefighting systems and did not follow the department of fire and rescue services' alternative fire safety guidelines (DFRS).
During inspection by fire and rescue services workers, some firefighting systems were found to be inoperable. After these buildings petitioned for regularisation, the high court appointed monitoring commission brought these flagrant infractions to light.
In three years, the CMDA has not implemented a comprehensive fire safety management plan for chosen core business districts of the city, as well as an exclusive strategy for T Nagar that involves inter-departmental collaboration and community engagement.
After fires in commercial premises in Vepery and T Nagar in 2008 and 2017, the plan was implemented. When reached, CMDA member secretary Anshul Mishra told TOI that a fire safety review of these structures will be done in collaboration with the DFRS.
He also stated that preparing a thorough fire safety management strategy for commercial business centres would be executed.
The issue with commercial enterprises is that little concrete constructions develop on the setback space, causing inconvenience for fire tenders approaching the buildings to put out fires, according to B Kannan, secretary of T Nagar Residents Welfare Association.
The need of the hour, according to S Sridharan, head of CREDAI National's urban development and housing committee, is to train maintenance employees in residential and commercial complexes on fire safety.
Apart from that, people should be taught how to use fire safety equipment. It's critical, he says, since the city is witnessing huge vertical growth.
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