Delhi Proposes Mandatory Smoke Detectors And Fire Extinguishers For Residential Homes

Following a tragic fire in Vivek Vihar last month that claimed nine lives, the Delhi government is planning to make fire safety equipment, including smoke detectors and fire extinguishers, mandatory for all residential homes. Home Minister Ashish Sood announced the initiative on June 12, 2026, stating that the government is currently reviewing a proposal submitted by the Delhi Fire Services.

Under current regulations, fire safety systems and No Objection Certificates (NOCs) are only mandatory for commercial buildings and structures standing 15 metres or taller. Low-rise, independent residential properties and individual houses have previously been exempt from these requirements.

According to Minister Sood, approximately 90 percent of the buildings in the national capital currently lack fire NOCs or related safety compliance. The new proposal aims to tighten enforcement of building by-laws by mandating safety devices like hydrants, smoke detectors, and extinguishers across all residential areas, including gated societies, individual houses, and residential colonies.

A senior official stated that the proposal focuses on making battery-operated smoke detectors mandatory in residential properties. Because these devices are inexpensive and run on batteries, they can quickly alert residents to smoke, allowing them to escape before a fire spreads.

The policy shift comes amid heightened scrutiny over residential fire safety. In March, a fire at a four-storey building in Palam killed nine members of a family. Investigators found that inflammable materials, including thinners, chemicals, and paints, had been stored in the basement of the building. Sood noted that electric overloading, rule violations, and the storage of inflammable materials remain the leading causes of residential fires in Delhi.

To address these hazards, Sood has directed the Delhi Fire Services and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to examine existing building by-laws. The government is also considering advising residents to limit the use of inflammable construction materials and avoid storing them inside their homes.

In addition to building-level measures, the government is working to address logistical hurdles. Densely populated areas with narrow lanes often prevent standard fire tenders from reaching fire sites within the critical four-minute response window. To resolve this, the government plans to upgrade its fire infrastructure, increase the number of fire stations, and procure smaller fire tenders designed for narrow streets.

The Delhi Fire Services handles more than 20,000 fire calls annually, with the city recording between 250 and 300 fire-related deaths each year. Sood announced that the proposal will soon be forwarded to the Cabinet for final approval, and he intends to write to Delhi residents to emphasize the importance of voluntary fire safety compliance.