LG Sandhu orders tough fire safety enforcement in Capital
Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu on Monday directed strict enforcement against illegal buildings, fire safety violations, and misuse of licences across the Capital while warning officials that negligence would directly affect their service records.
Chairing a high-level meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority, the Lieutenant Governor reviewed action against unsafe structures, preparedness for future disasters, implementation of the Heat Wave Action Plan, and measures to prevent monsoon flooding in the city. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Ministers Ashish Sood and Parvesh Verma, and senior officials attended the meeting.
The LG said Delhi’s vulnerability to disasters must be treated as an opportunity to strengthen preparedness and improve resilience. He stressed that all agencies and departments must function in coordination and deliver visible results without delays.
During the meeting, concern was raised over ongoing illegal construction and violations of fire safety rules in several parts of the city. The LG directed authorities to stop all blatant unauthorised construction activities and illegal plotting of land immediately.
At the same time, he instructed officials to ensure that enforcement drives do not lead to harassment of ordinary residents.
The Chief Minister also underlined the need for coordinated action among departments and said there should be no excuses or underutilisation of administrative powers in the national Capital.
The Lieutenant Governor expressed strong displeasure after being informed that the Delhi Fire Services had not issued even a single notice so far during the current enforcement exercise. He directed the Principal Director of Delhi Fire Services to take immediate action and submit reports to the offices of the LG, the Chief Minister, and the Home Minister. Special enforcement teams formed last week, comprising District Magistrates, Deputy Commissioners of Police, Municipal Corporation officials, and Delhi Fire Services officers, have now been asked to submit regular Action Taken Reports for continuous monitoring. The LG warned officials that negligence, poor performance, or failure to act would directly impact their Annual Confidential Report grading.
One of the key decisions taken during the meeting was stricter enforcement of Section 32 of the Delhi Fire Services Act, 2007. The proposal, suggested by Home Minister Ashish Sood, was accepted during the meeting. The provision will allow fire prevention and fire safety measures to be enforced in all multi-storey buildings in Delhi, regardless of whether they require a fire safety certificate under existing rules.
To strengthen the Fire Department, the LG suggested using former Agniveers to fill operational vacancies and improve manpower availability. Plans to increase the number of fire stations across Delhi were also reviewed to improve emergency response times.
In another major proposal, the LG suggested that the Municipal Corporation of Delhi allow citizens to upload photographs of illegal constructions directly through the public 311 app and portal. Officials said the move is aimed at encouraging citizen participation and improving transparency in monitoring violations.
The meeting also reviewed Delhi’s preparations for the monsoon season. The LG called for zero tolerance towards waterlogging and flooding and directed departments to strictly implement desilting and drainage work before heavy rains begin.
He instructed officials to remain open to practical suggestions and continuously improve administrative systems to deal with emergencies more effectively.
