HIPA seeks structural, fire audit of high-rises in Gurgaon

The Haryana Institute of Public Administration (HIPA) has sought a structural and fire audit of all high-rise buildings in Gurgaon and the National Capital Region (NCR) in Haryana to ensure compliance with national building by-laws.

HIPA chief S.P. Gupta has written to Vikas Gupta, director of urban local bodies, that the NCR has been prone to various hazards, especially earthquakes.

The NCR in Haryana falls in high risk zone and corresponds to intensity VIII of MSK, an earthquake intensity scale.

He said that the NCR in Haryana lies within numerous fault lines like the Axes of Delhi Folding, Delhi Haridwar Fault, Sohna Fault, Mathura Fault and Delhi Moradabad Fault. Most earthquakes in this region are shallow (depth of less than 30 km).

However, a few earthquakes of intermediate depth have been recorded in Haryana. The alluvial cover of the Indo-Gangetic plain makes even distant earthquakes felt here quite strongly.

The NCR region has fairly high seismicity with general occurrence of earthquake of 5 to 6 magnitude, a few of 6 to 7 magnitude and occasional incidence of 7.5 magnitude.

"Keeping that in view, HIPA therefore approaches you to share the common interest of public safety in NCR. There is huge infrastructure, particularly high-rise buildings, in the region and we have doubts that all high-rise buildings have followed the national building by-laws," the HIPA chief wrote.

"To avoid any mishap in NCR in Haryana, due to an earthquake or fire, you are requested to kindly instruct offices concerned to conduct structural and fire audit of the high-rise buildings and also ensure compliance of national building by-laws including fire code," the letter further read.

The HIPA chief said it is ready to provide all necessary support and consultancy for compliance of building codes, and help in making the buildings safe.

--IANS

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