The Gujarat government has informed the Gujarat
High Court that comprehensive changes to the Comprehensive General Development
Control Regulations (CGDCR) are imminent, as the state prepares to host
international showcases like Commonwealth Games 2030 in Ahmedabad. The state’s
assurance came during a public interest litigation (PIL) hearing triggered by
the devastating Rajkot TRP Game Zone tragedy and the Shrey Hospital fire.
A division bench of Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice D.N. Ray
took a tough stand on systemic gaps in fire safety enforcement, directly
questioning the state over vacancies and the lack of a permanent director for
the Gujarat State Fire Prevention Services.
Advocate Amit Panchal, appearing in person,
drew the court’s attention to critical regulatory oversights in current
building and safety norms. Under existing regulations, fire No-Objection
Certificates (NOCs) are not required for firecracker shops smaller than 500
square metres, nor are fire safety inspections mandatory for balwadis or
playgroups catering to children under four years old.
Panchal warned that leaving early-childhood
centres and small firecracker outlets unregulated creates severe risk,
cautioning that a single failure could trigger another fatal disaster.
Confronted with these gaps, the state government promised the bench that a
permanent Fire Services Director would be appointed shortly.
Responding to concerns over urban readiness,
government counsel assured the bench that the upcoming CGDCR framework will
introduce strict structural reforms for high-rise developments. Under the
proposed regulations, high-rise buildings will be mandated to leave an entire
floor empty after every three floors to serve as refuge platforms during
emergencies, simplifying evacuation and rescue operations.
The High Court also directed authorities to
conduct regular, unannounced fire mock drills in crowded public spaces on
working days to test actual response times. Clarifying the administrative
hierarchy, the state government outlined a three-tier fire service structure,
emphasizing that Municipal Commissioners remain directly accountable for local
recruitment and fire safety compliance across municipal corporations.