Delhi imposes stricter fire safety standards across 18 building categories

On August 28, the Home Department announced the Delhi Fire Service (Amendment) Rules, 2026, establishing an 18-category safety regime for all structures in the capital. The framework links mandatory fire-prevention features to a building’s height and its class of occupancy, and will be enforced through the Building Bye-Laws. Key provisions include a six-metre clear right-of-way for fire engines, fire-check doors or pressurised exits, mandatory extinguishers, sprinkler systems, hydrant networks, fire-pump houses, and backup power for critical safety equipment.

The Delhi Fire Service director may also order extra measures where the bye-laws are silent, while the government retains the ability to relax rules for specific occupancies or zones. The amendment follows a series of recent blazes, notably the Malviya Nagar hotel fire that claimed 23 lives. Applications pending at the time of notification will continue under the previous rules, and the terminology in Rule 29 now references Building Bye-Laws instead of the National Building Code.