With the new system in place, commercial establishments will now be subject to biannual inspections by certified expert agencies
In a significant step aimed at improving ease of doing business in the state, the Odisha government has amended its fire safety rules to introduce a more transparent and regular inspection system. Under the revised Odisha Fire Prevention and Fire Safety (Amendment) Rules, 2025, licensed third-party agencies will now be allowed to conduct fire safety audits of commercial establishments twice a year.
The change marks a shift from the earlier norms, which required commercial and residential buildings to undergo inspections once every two and five years respectively. Officials said that such lengthy gaps in inspection periods had made it difficult to verify whether safety measures were operational, potentially increasing the risk of fire-related mishaps. Building owners also faced delays and difficulties during the renewal process of fire safety certificates.
With the new system in place, commercial establishments will now be subject to biannual inspections by certified expert agencies. For residential buildings, the fire safety certificate will remain valid for one year.
“The state government has liberalised the fire safety regulations to enhance ease of doing business,” said Sudhansu Sarangi, Director General of Fire Services. “We will now have third-party empanelled vendors to undertake fire prevention and safety audits at commercial establishments twice a year.”
Sarangi added that the Fire Services Directorate would continue to play a supervisory role by cross-verifying a sample of the audits to maintain the integrity of the process. “Once vendors are engaged across the state, we will scrutinise 2 per cent of the audits to ensure there is no misuse of the system and fire safety is not compromised,” he said.
To strengthen accountability, the new rules also mandate that licensed agencies must upload their audit certificates on the Fire Department’s online portal. Each submission must include a minimum of 20 photographs documenting different stages of the inspection, ensuring evidence-based verification.
The Fire Department will also organise training programmes for the empanelled vendors to maintain high standards in inspections and ensure consistent quality in audit reports.
These changes are part of a broader reform initiative being monitored by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), aimed at improving the country’s ease of doing business rankings. In Odisha, the efforts are being coordinated by a dedicated group of officers under Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja.
By streamlining procedures and increasing transparency, the state government hopes to not only enhance public safety but also create a more business-friendly environment for investors and establishment owners across Odisha.
