The proposal comes in the wake of recent tragedies, including a blaze at a gaming zone in Rajkot and a fire at a neonatal hospital in Delhi
Amid a spate of deadly fire incidents across India, safety experts and former officials are urging the central government to establish an independent National Fire Safety Authority to oversee fire regulation and enforcement.
The proposal comes in the wake of recent tragedies, including a blaze at a gaming zone in Rajkot and a fire at a neonatal hospital in Delhi, which collectively claimed over 35 lives. Experts say such incidents highlight systemic failures in fire preparedness, building safety audits, and regulatory enforcement.
Wajahat Habibullah, former Chief Information Commissioner of India and ex-chairman of the National Commission for Minorities, is among those calling for urgent institutional reform. He has recommended the formation of a dedicated authority at the national level, modelled on bodies like the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), to standardise fire safety norms and support state governments in implementation.
“Fire services remain a state subject, but the scale of negligence and the recurring nature of these tragedies warrant central intervention,” Habibullah said. “We need a nodal body that can coordinate, guide and monitor fire safety across the country.”
Currently, fire services in India are administered by state governments, often with varying degrees of funding, training, and capacity. Many urban centres lack sufficient fire stations, personnel, or modern equipment. According to the Standing Fire Advisory Council under the Ministry of Home Affairs, India faces a shortfall of over 5,000 fire stations and tens of thousands of trained personnel.
Despite the existence of the National Building Code and state-specific fire safety regulations, implementation remains inconsistent. Retired fire chiefs and urban planners argue that fire clearances are often treated as one-time approvals rather than part of an ongoing safety regime.
Habibullah, who has submitted a detailed proposal to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Prime Minister’s Office, said the envisaged authority would not override states but function as a statutory body offering technical guidance, compliance oversight, and funding assistance for capacity-building.
He also called for the establishment of a national fire data registry to track incidents, identify patterns, and inform policy. Currently, fire data is fragmented and reported inconsistently across states, complicating risk assessment and mitigation efforts.
While the central government has yet to formally respond to the proposal, the increasing frequency of urban fires and the lack of coordinated response mechanisms have renewed the conversation around institutional reform.
