Now Reading: Telangana raises fire NOC height limit for apartments to 24m
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Telangana raises fire NOC height limit for apartments to 24m
The Telangana fire department has raised the height limit for obtaining a provisional Fire NOC for new residential apartment buildings from 18m to 24m, effective 7 October. The change, announced by Fire DG Vikram Singh Mann, applies only to residential apartments and follows discussions with builders' associations, in line with National Building Construction Standards (NBCS) 2026.
Officials said the move aims to simplify approvals and reduce the regulatory burden on lower and mid-rise residential buildings. While provisional Fire NOC will not be required for buildings between 18m and 24m, fire officers will conduct periodic checks during construction to ensure basic safety measures such as proper exits, emergency lights and fire extinguishers are in place.
However, fire-safety experts said risk cannot be determined by height alone. SP Anchuri of the Council for Fire and Life Safety said safety should also be assessed based on occupancy, evacuation routes, smoke management and access for fire tenders. Official data shows fire incidents in Telangana have risen nearly 15% over five years, with over 8,860 incidents and more than 160 deaths recorded in 2025.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The height-limit relaxation directly reduces the compliance burden for residential builders, but it shifts responsibility to periodic checks during construction rather than a single NOC clearance. Fire-safety experts warn that risk factors such as occupancy density and evacuation design are overlooked when height alone is the threshold. The policy does not cover schools, hospitals or malls, which remain under the old 18m limit. With fire incidents rising and annual deaths exceeding 160, the state's reliance on spot checks rather than upfront approval leaves enforcement gaps that may be tested as buildings rise higher from 7 October.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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