According to a survey, residential constructions are facing a great risk from fire in Mumbai this year. Inspections carried out by the fire department in the financial capital and its peripheries, between February to October, found that most of the buildings in the western and eastern suburbs violated the safety guidelines.

Out of the 1,492 buildings surveyed in the eastern and western suburbs, notices were issued to 1,354 constructions for breaching fire safety guidelines. But even after being warned to take curative measures, only 85 of these buildings filed the compliance report with the fire department.

Out of 3,105 residential buildings inspected in the island city, 659 were issued notices of which five buildings obeyed the guidelines given by the fire department.

The buildings inspected were high-rises residential units, high-footfall areas like malls, multiplexes, industrial estates and government buildings.

The inspection was carried out randomly under the Maharashtra Fire and Life Safety Measures Act (2006), which makes it obligatory for buildings over seven-storeys tall, to undertake fire safety report measures twice a year to the fire department building including malls, public space and multiplexes.

The safety act specifies that every building more than seven-storey tall must have an internal fire fighting systems and sprinklers, and a clearly marked refuge area which should be intruded.

In the city like Mumbai the residential societies take fire safety measures very casually and wake up only when there is a fire raging in their buildings.

The fire department is also planning to set up a special cell by mid-2014 to carry out inspections in the buildings.

Currently, firemen are burdened with the task of undertaking inspections in their areas and issuing notices, in addition to attending rescue calls. The new cell will help implement the guidelines more successfully and encourage frequent checks.