By: Ravi Sinha
Track2Realty Exclusive
5thof the series
The Environment Ministry has now set new norms for buildings higher than four floors. However, experts question the compliance aspect. Sachin Sandhir, Managing Director (South Asia) of RICS is apprehensive with the enforcement of stricter norms for structural safety.
According to Sandhir compliance is indeed a problem as fire safety is a state responsibility and states deal with it in different ways and with varying degrees of efficiency.
“In spite of having 32 standards for fire fighting and another 132 standards in place for fire fighting equipment as mentioned by the Bureau of Indian Standards, we continue to grapple with violation in the implementation and practice of such standards. Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Delhi and Hyderabad are all witness to such cases of gross negligence. National Safety Council carried out about 100 safety audits in 2010-11 and found that the compliance with safety norms is indeed poor,” says Sandhir.
Though many of the developers crib that new norms are set to push up the cost, there are case studies in best practices as well.
For instance, when DLF went tall, it also decided to make provisions for private fire stations to ensure the safety of its residents. Three of its private fire stations, two in Gurgaon and one in Chennai, will become operational soon.
However, such best practices are few and far between in Indian real estate and skyscrapers are more of a marketing statement with “sky is the limit” packaging.
It is true that with rapid urbanisation, worrisome housing shortage, limited land availability and the quest/need for everyone to be close to the heart of the city, the only way is to go up.
But before Indian realtors can provide safe, speedy and sustainable skyscrapers, and before all such products are not positioned into high-end category, a flat close to moon only promises a psychological edge of living in an “Ivory Tower”.
