Maharashtra Mandates Installing Fire Evacuation Lifts In All High-Rises
In order to speed up the evacuation process during fire incidents and emergencies in high-rise buildings, the energy department of the state government has issued an advisory that all high-rises in the state that are equal to or taller than 70 meters need to have a Fire Evacuation Lift (FEL) installed in the building for safety purposes. So far, only 13 high-rises out of 368 skyscrapers in Mumbai are equipped with FELs even after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) issued a notification in 2018, making it mandatory for all upcoming high-rises to install Fire Evacuation Lifts. FEL is a specialized elevator that is fitted in a separate corridor of a building that is away from the occupied area. These lifts are built with fire resistance equipment and the doors are designed in such a way that they can resist for at least two hours. Hemant Parab, Chief Fire Officer (CFO) of the Mumbai Fire Brigade, said that the numbers are low because it takes time for the project to complete. “The lifts are installed only after the project is completed and certified after it is in an operational stage. The construction work takes time and there was a 2 year long lockdown in between. But we have made a compulsory provision that now all the upcoming buildings will have to install these specialized elevators or else, they will not be granted a No Objection Certificate (NOC),” said Parab. He added that most of the buildings in Mumbai mention in their directives that residents and occupants shouldn’t use the existing lift in case of a fire incident. However, the FEL will be planned in such a way that it could be used by occupants during emergencies. “Evacuation process happens faster through lifts, when compared to staircases. The firemen should be able to use these lifts as well since the area inside will be spacious. The guidelines were already there in Mumbai, the state government order will now empower us on a larger basis,” said Parab. “This is advisory at the moment, but a law will soon come that will be approved by the government. In Mumbai, it is already a requirement, and this advisory is next to be mandatory. Also, this will have a retrospective effect as those buildings constructed between 2018 and 2022 will have to have a fire evacuation lift with specifications issued by us. And those who have not installed such lifts will now have to install such lifts. In the end, it is for the safety of citizens,” said a senior official from the state energy department.
Tags : Maharashtra Fire Evacuation Lifts Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Hemant Parab Chief Fire Officer (CFO) of the Mumbai Fire Brigade