Building Completion Certificate Now Mandatory for Fire NOC in Madhya Pradesh

The Madhya Pradesh government has made it mandatory to obtain a Building Completion Certificate and Occupancy Permission before applying for a Fire No Objection Certificate (Fire NOC) for buildings over 5000 sq ft or high-rise structures.

This step aims to prevent fire accidents and curb illegal constructions. The Urban Administration and Development Department has issued directives making these documents compulsory before issuing fire safety approvals or NOCs.

Building officials have been instructed not to issue Fire NOCs until the full documentation process is completed. According to Commissioner CB Chakravarti, this will strengthen fire safety and compliance in large structures.

The regulation applies to all buildings larger than 5000 square feet or over 15 meters tall. It also includes hospitals and hotels with more than 50 beds. A Fire NOC must be renewed every two years.

Previously, due to the lack of requirement for completion certificates, many illegal constructions went unchecked. The new directives are expected to bring stricter monitoring and accountability.

Negligence in Illegal Construction

Earlier, many developers used to bypass approved plans and expand or modify structures illegally. Without a mandatory completion certificate, municipal bodies did not inspect after construction. This resulted in violations like converting parking areas into shops or renting them out.

With the new rules, completion certificates will only be issued after thorough inspection, helping to eliminate such irregularities.

Process of Obtaining a Completion Certificate

For buildings over 5000 sq ft, a completion certificate is mandatory. The municipal building branch inspects whether construction has been done as per approved plans. Certificates are only issued after engineers complete their inspections.

However, currently, only around 10% of eligible building owners obtain these certificates.

Accountability of Local Bodies

Jabalpur Municipal Commissioner Preeti Yadav stated that submission of a building completion certificate along with fire safety documents is now compulsory. Officials have been directed to strictly implement the new instructions from the Directorate of Urban Administration.