 has raised concerns over increasing fire incidents in markets and commercial buildings across Delhi){kind=link}
Following a series of fire incidents across Delhi and other cities, the Chamber of Trade
June 23, 2026: The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) has raised concerns over increasing fire incidents in markets and commercial buildings across Delhi and other parts of the country, including Lucknow, Malviya Nagar, Sadar Bazar, Gandhi Nagar, Karol Bagh and Seelampur. CTI Chairman Brijesh Goyal has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, seeking the implementation of a 10-point “Vyapari Fire Safety Mission” aimed at strengthening fire safety infrastructure and preventing future tragedies.
According to CTI, nearly 70 per cent of fire incidents are caused by electrical short circuits and shortcomings in existing compliance systems, resulting in loss of lives and financial damage worth hundreds of crores every year. Goyal noted that lakhs of commercial buildings, markets, factories, hotels and restaurants operate with single entry-exit points, making evacuation difficult during emergencies. He urged authorities to move away from a restrictive “licence raj” approach and adopt a self-compliance model.
Among CTI’s key recommendations are self-certification for small establishments, floor-wise fire NOCs, free annual electrical audits, GST reduction on fire safety equipment, mandatory fire insurance for larger shops, tax benefits for upgrading old wiring, and the creation of a single-window online Fire NOC portal. The organisation said the proposed reforms would improve fire preparedness, encourage voluntary compliance and significantly reduce losses caused by fire accidents.