A devastating fire at a hotel in Delhi’s Malviya Nagar on June 3 claimed at least 21 lives and left more than 40 people rescued, drawing fresh attention to fire safety compliance in the national capital. According to officials, many of those killed were foreign nationals, primarily from Central Asian and African countries. The incident has renewed scrutiny of building safety standards, emergency preparedness, and enforcement of fire regulations across Delhi.

Just days before the tragedy, the Delhi government notified the Delhi Fire Service (Amendment) Rules, 2025, introducing major changes to the city’s fire safety framework. The amendments are aimed at modernising inspections, improving monitoring, and strengthening emergency response systems across the capital.

Third-party fire audits

One of the biggest changes is the introduction of third-party fire safety audits. Under the new rules, building owners and occupants can appoint certified fire safety auditors from a list available on the Delhi Fire Service (DFS) portal. These auditors will inspect buildings, issue fire safety certificates, and upload inspection reports online.

The DFS will continue oversight through random checks, with at least 5% of certificates issued every quarter subject to verification by departmental officers. Earlier, fire safety certificates were issued directly by DFS officials following departmental inspections.

Delhi Home Minister Ashish Sood said the changes are part of the government's deregulation efforts and are intended to make the certification process more efficient.

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Automated monitoring

The amended rules also mandate an Automated Continuous Monitoring System (ACMS) for firefighting infrastructure. The system is designed to continuously monitor both active and passive fire safety measures to ensure they remain operational at all times. This requirement was absent under the earlier 2010 rules.

The move is expected to help authorities identify equipment failures or maintenance issues before they become critical during emergencies.

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Major restructuring

The Delhi government has also reorganised the city’s fire administration structure. Under the previous framework, Delhi was divided into three fire zones and six divisions. The new rules expand the structure to five fire zones—Central, East, West, North and South—and 13 fire divisions aligned with Delhi’s current administrative districts.

The revised framework includes new divisions such as Burari, Badli, Najafgarh, Matiala, Bijwasan, Chhatarpur, Deoli, Karawal Nagar, Yamuna Vihar, Narela and Mundka, among others. Authorities say the restructuring is intended to improve monitoring, coordination and emergency response times as the city continues to expand.

Fire safety certificate rules

The notification clarifies that residential buildings exceeding 15 metres in height or comprising five or more storeys, excluding hotels and guest houses, must continue to obtain Fire Safety Certificates (FSCs). There has been no significant relaxation in these requirements.

As investigators examine the causes of the Malviya Nagar hotel fire, the tragedy is likely to intensify focus on whether fire safety norms are being effectively implemented and whether the new regulatory framework can prevent similar incidents in the future.

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Published on: Jun 3, 2026 2:54 PM IST