Lucknow Tragedy Height Loophole Left Building Exempt From Fire Checks

LUCKNOW A quirk in the building bylaws meant the Aliganj building, which was engulfed by fire on Monday, was exempt from obtaining a fire no-objection certificate (NoC) — a factor now under scrutiny as questions mount over safety measures in the structure.

According to fire department officials, the G+3 building stood below the 15-metre threshold prescribed under building bylaws for mandatory fire clearance. As a result, despite housing commercial establishments and offices for nearly a decade, it never required a fire NoC and was never inspected from that perspective.

Ironically, the very height that exempted the building from stricter fire safety regulations may have contributed to the circumstances that turned it into a death trap.

A senior fire department official said buildings above 15 metres are required to comply with additional fire safety norms and obtain a fire NoC before operation. “Since this building was below 15 metres, it did not come under the mandatory fire clearance regime,” the officer said.

Lucknow chief fire officer Ankush Mittal confirmed that the building neither required a fire NoC under existing rules nor had its owners approached the department for one.

The fire has reignited concerns over smaller buildings that are converted into bustling commercial hubs but remain outside the ambit of mandatory fire safety audits. “If a residential building gradually turns into a commercial complex, it becomes difficult for the fire department to track such changes unless permissions are sought or information is provided,” another official said.