Chandigarh, July 14: Chandigarh has overhauled its fire safety penalties, raising standard fines from Rs 10,000 to Rs 1 lakh for multiple violations under a newly adopted legislative framework. The Union Home Ministry extended the Haryana Fire and Emergency Services Act, 2022, to the Union Territory, introducing stricter financial deterrents to replace previous judicial prosecution measures.
The policy shift removes the threat of up to three months of imprisonment for false alarms, corporate non-compliance, and general infractions. Instead, the responsibility of penalizing violators now rests directly with the local fire department’s leadership.
“Under the extended Act, these carry only a monetary penalty, up to Rs 1 lakh, imposed directly by the Chief Fire Officer or an officer authorised by him, which doubles for a repeat violation,” a department representative stated. He affirmed that replacing courtroom prosecution before a magistrate with direct administrative fines will ensure faster accountability.
Major fee hikes have also been introduced for operational disruptions and staffing failures. Anyone caught drawing water without authorization during an emergency firefighting response will now face a flat fine of Rs 2 lakh, a sharp rise from the previous Rs 50,000 penalty.
Additionally, the cost of failing to employ a qualified fire safety officer has jumped significantly. Property owners will now be charged between Rs 100 and Rs 200 per square metre, compared to the earlier rate of Rs 10 to Rs 50 per square metre.
The legal transition was completed using powers under Section 87 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, effectively retiring the Delhi Fire Prevention and Fire Safety Act, 1986. Local authorities declared that the 40 custom modifications made to the Haryana Act will allow Chandigarh’s administration to enforce the stringent new codes without any regulatory overlap.
