Delhi seeks three-month extension for fire audits amid shortage of eligible applicants

The Delhi government has proposed extending the transition period for its new fire safety certification system by another three months after the Delhi Fire Service (DFS) received only a limited number of applications from private auditors, officials said on Sunday.

The proposal will be sent to Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu for approval. If cleared, the extension will be notified through a fresh gazette notification.

The move comes as the government attempts to operationalise a system under which empanelled private auditors, rather than the DFS itself, will inspect buildings and issue or renew fire safety certificates.

Few auditors have qualified for empanelment

The Delhi Fire Service began inviting applications for third-party auditors on July 2, following notification of the Delhi Fire Service (Amendment) Rules, 2025, on May 26. Officials said the response has remained weak despite a subsequent public notice encouraging eligible professionals to apply.

A senior fire service official said only applications received up to August 24 were being processed under the existing transition arrangement. A handful of applications were received, but officials said they did not meet the eligibility requirements. The DFS has therefore proposed another three months to complete the empanelment process.

The amended rules provide for three categories of auditors, L-1, L-2 and L-3, based on professional qualifications and experience. L-1 and L-2 auditors can inspect and certify buildings up to 15 metres in height, while L-3 auditors can undertake certification for buildings of any height.

The framework also requires empanelled auditors to undergo training at the Fire Safety Management Academy in Rohini. Training ranges from three days for L-1 auditors to seven days for L-3 auditors.

The rules also prescribe fees that auditors can charge, ranging from ₹10,000 to ₹5 lakh depending on their category, the building's size and height, occupancy and the complexity of its fire safety arrangements. The DFS is to conduct random checks of at least 5% of certificates issued by auditors every quarter. Non-compliance or falsification can attract penalties of ₹2 lakh to ₹10 lakh, with auditors potentially being removed from the panel.

Liability concerns deter professionals

Officials believe the level of responsibility attached to issuing a fire safety certificate may be one reason for the limited response.

Under the new system, an auditor certifying a building as compliant could face scrutiny if a fire or other serious incident subsequently occurs there. Officials said some professionals appear reluctant to assume that potential liability.

The amended rules place responsibility for maintaining fire safety measures on building owners or occupiers, even though certification is to be carried out by empanelled third-party auditors.

The new system was notified on May 26, with the amendments relating to fire safety certification and third-party audits scheduled to take effect after 90 days. This transition period expired on August 24.

With the third-party provisions now taking effect, DFS is no longer empowered under the amended framework to conduct the inspections and issue or renew certificates itself. Officials have said the department is processing applications received during the transition period.

Architects seek wider eligibility

The shortage of applicants has also prompted architects empanelled with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) to seek changes to the eligibility requirements.

In a representation submitted to the chief fire officer in July, the architects argued that the requirement for an additional postgraduate qualification in Fire Management and Life Safety should be relaxed.

They said experienced architects already possess expertise in building planning, design and construction, as well as statutory compliance. They also pointed to their experience in dealing with fire-related no-objection certificates and occupancy certificates.

According to the architects, broadening the eligibility criteria could increase the number of professionals available for empanelment and help address the shortage that is delaying implementation of the third-party audit system.

The issue has assumed greater significance because the new framework represents a shift from direct certification by the fire department towards private professional audits. The Delhi government has said the system is intended to streamline the certification process while retaining mechanisms for oversight and accountability.

Separately, Delhi notified further amendments to its fire service rules on August 28, 2026. The 2026 amendments include changes to the inspection report format and other provisions of the 2025 framework.

The proposed three-month extension is now subject to the Lieutenant Governor's approval, after which the Delhi government is expected to issue a fresh gazette notification.