Mumbai: 2,170 fire audit reports submitted, but no data on how many left

A massive fire broke out at One Avighna Park near Lalbaug area on October 22. File pic

Over the past six months, the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) has received fire audit reports from 2,170 buildings but they have no clue about how many buildings are yet to conduct the audit and submit reports. In view of this, the BMC has started the process of assigning unique identification numbers to buildings to identify them.

Meanwhile, the MFB has inspected 1,527 buildings between January 2019 and September 2021, sent notices to 327 for fire compliance and started the process of taking action against three.

At the standing committee meeting on Wednesday, Ashwini Bhide, additional commissioner and in-charge of the MFB provided the information about the fire audits. As per the Maharashtra Fire Prevention Life Safety Act 2006, it is mandatory for owners, occupiers or housing societies to get fire audits done by approved auditors every six months.

"We don't have the exact number so we can't say how many buildings haven't submitted the mandatory audit reports. Also, there are different systems of identification of buildings in various departments. The process of assigning unique identification numbers to buildings is on. Meanwhile, we are updating our software to smoothen the process of fire audits," said Bhide.

The MFB conducted fire safety inspections of 1,526 buildings from January 2019 to September 2021, which includes malls, schools and hospitals.
Notices have been sent to 327 buildings, out of which 78 have completed the fire compliance procedure, 109 are under process and the process of taking action against three buildings has started.

Bhide added that electrical audits were also necessary but there wasn't any provision for it under the Fire Prevention Act.

"We have requested the state PWD department to appoint consultants so that the electrical audits can be started in the city," she added.

6
No. of months after which fire safety audits are mandatory for housing societies

Fire safety inspections

1,526
No. of buildings inspected

327
Notices sent for fire compliance

78
Buildings that complied with the norms

109
Buildings in the process of complying with the norms

3
Buildings against which action will be taken

From January 2019 to September 2021