Ban on rooftop kitchen
The Delhi Government now prohibits kitchens on rooftops and in basements of commercial buildings. The move has been announced in the wake the recent Arpit Hotel fire tragedy, that left many guests injured.
The notified amendment also provides for carbon monoxide fire detectors and alarms to be installed in the buildings & proper air ventilation as per Delhi Fire Services standards”
To combat any untoward incident like the Arpit Hotel fire tragedy, the Delhi government recently amended the ‘Unified Building Bye-Laws (UBBL) for Delhi 2016, concerning commercial buildings.
The amended guidelines now prohibit kitchens on rooftops and in basements of commercial buildings. In addition, the amendment also bans the use of wooden panels, foam panels and carpets among other inflammable materials in passages, staircases or corridors.
Urban Development Minister Satyendra Jain said that the decision was taken in light of the Arpit Hotel fire tragedy, where the staircase was covered with a carpet which led to the generation of a massive amount of smoke, restricting people from using the exit routes. The notified amendment also provides for carbon monoxide fire detectors and alarms to be installed in the buildings as per Delhi Fire Services standards. It also states the need proper air ventilation for staircases and corridors in the buildings, besides banning storage of inflammable material on rooftop.