Ghaziabad: The Gaur Green Avenue fire on Wednesday has become a wake-up call for residents of high-rise gated societies and authorities across the National Capital Region (NCR). In response, the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) on Friday sanctioned Rs 100 crore to procure two hydraulic platforms capable of reaching 102 metres — equivalent to up to 35 floors. This marks a significant upgrade from the existing platform, which is limited to 42 metres, or about 14 storeys.
Immediate Procurement Decision
An official from the Authority stated, "We have decided to bypass the lengthy process of seeking approval from the board and decided to immediately procure the two platforms." This decision underscores the urgency to enhance firefighting capabilities in the city, which has seen a rapid proliferation of high-rise buildings.
Existing Firefighting Limitations
The Authority had acquired a hydraulic platform with a 42-metre reach in 2017 for Rs 4 crore. However, the firefighting mechanism has not kept pace with the rapid growth of high-rises in Ghaziabad. The city currently has over 400 high-rise apartments and buildings, particularly concentrated in areas such as Indirapuram, Crossings Republik, Raj Nagar Extension, and Sidharth Vihar. This number is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years.
Impact of UP Building By-laws 2025
Under the recently approved UP Building By-laws 2025, height restrictions on buildings have been removed, allowing for vertical growth based on permissible Floor Area Ratio (FAR). Previously, the maximum building height for plotted development on plots less than 300 square metres was three floors with stilts, up to 15 metres. For plots of 300 square metres and above, four storeys with stilts up to 17.5 metres were allowed. However, height restrictions have now been removed for group housing, shops, commercial units, complexes, malls, hotels, single-screen cinemas, miniplexes, and multiplex commercial complexes.
Definition of High-Rise Buildings
A multi-storeyed building, or high-rise building, is defined as a building above four storeys or exceeding 15 metres in height without a stilt, and 17.5 metres with a stilt. With the new by-laws, the number of such buildings is set to surge, making the procurement of advanced firefighting equipment critical.
The GDA's swift action aims to prevent future tragedies and ensure the safety of residents in Ghaziabad's growing vertical landscape.
