Kochi: Fire NOC refusal for Centre Square Mall legal'

Kochi: The fire and safety department has informed the Kerala High Court that the decision to reject the application for the final fire-NOC for the multiplex section of  the ‘Centre Square Mall’  was legal.  The construction of the multiplex at a height above 30 metres  is not admissible as per the national building code. In the multiplex, 11 theatres are functioning and a large number of persons visit them  which  is a threat to  public safety.

The requirements of fire fighting arrangements to be provided in different categories of buildings are listed in part 4 table 23 of the NBC under each category. Hence, the final NOC sought by the petitioner was rejected, the department said. Mr R. Prasad, divisional officer of the department, filed an affidavit on a petition filed by Peevees Projects Pvt Ltd seeking a directive to issue the final fire-NOC. The department said that the petitioner revised the plan of the construction and occupancy and obtained approval from the municipal corporation, but it was never communicated to the department.  

The NOC already obtained was  not revised. There was culpable negligence on the part of Kochi Corporation in issuing the revised building permit without obtaining the certificate from fire and rescue services department. It was on July 18  that  the director technical of the Kerala Fire and Rescue Services refused to grant a certificate of approval to the multiplex. The mall had got the sanction from the Kochi Corporation for running movie houses.