New Delhi: Residential buildings with a height of less than 24 meters – a category that includes a large number of multi-storey houses, such as the ill-fated building in Delhi’s Vivek Vihar – will be out of the scope of “fire and life safety” provisions under the newly notified National Building Standards (NBCS), which replaced the National Building Code (NBC) last week.The NBCS fire and public safety norms, which are only “advisory” in nature, are applicable for buildings taller than 24 metres, as against the earlier standard of 15 metres. Although the Deregulation Cell of the Cabinet Secretariat had directed the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to keep fire and life safety out of the NBCS, it was included due to opposition from technical experts.These provisions set standards about how a building should be designed, equipped and managed to protect against fire and to protect its occupants in the event of a fire. This includes means of escape, fire detection and alarm systems.The NBCS document states that “Fire and Life Safety” is only for guidance and referral to the State Government and local authority in relation to fire safety in buildings, as according to the Constitution “fire services is a State subject and a municipal function”.SK Dheri, former Delhi Fire Service chief and head of the fire safety committee at BIS, said, “The provisions in the NBCS have been updated keeping in mind the changes that have taken place over the years. We have prescribed what states and municipalities can follow. It is the responsibility of states and local authorities to ensure the safety of structures and citizens.”TOI has learned that one of the major reasons for replacing NBC with NBCS was the confusion created by the word “code”. Although the NBC was voluntary, its title suggested legal enforceability, which led to controversy and litigation and courts reprimanding builders and government entities for not following the provisions of the code.The document notes that the nature of the standards and codes has changed from a prescriptive arrangement, requiring states and local authorities to collaborate, to “a more performance-oriented approach, giving ample scope for innovation and decision-making”.However, experts involved in the preparation of both the NBC and the current NBCS have raised concerns, pointing to the inadequate institutional capacity of many municipal bodies to formulate detailed criteria.Ajit Kumar SM, committee member and president of the Karnataka Professional Civil Engineers Act Steering Consortium, cautioned that increased state-level variation could result in inconsistent safety standards. They highlighted concerns about increased liability for professionals without adequate regulatory protection, potentially compromising public safety and professional integrity.