The Delhi Fire Service has rejected fire safety clearance for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) headquarters at Jawaharlal Nehru Bhawan on Janpath Road, citing unresolved safety shortcomings in the building's basement. The department said an inspection on August 29, conducted in the presence of an MEA representative, found that two issues identified during an earlier inspection had not been rectified. The concerns involve damaged fire-check doors and unauthorised temporary rooms and partitions where firefighting systems have not been extended.

One of the unresolved issues concerns the fire-check doors in the basement. According to the fire department, the glass of one such door was found broken, while door closers had been removed at some locations. The department also raised concerns over changes made inside the basement, where temporary rooms and partitions had been created. A fire department official said the existing detection system and sprinklers had not been extended to these newly created areas, leaving the modifications without the required firefighting systems.

The department also noted that a portion of the basement had been converted for residential use as a “barrack”. It said approval from the New Delhi Municipal Council was required for the change before fire safety clearance could be granted. The latest decision followed an earlier fire safety inspection conducted on January 24, 2025, which had identified eight shortcomings at the premises. These included non-functional staircase and lift-shaft pressurisation systems, unsealed electric shafts, a non-functional basement smoke management system, improperly positioned sprinklers, inadequate exit signage and a non-functional diesel engine pump.

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The January 2025 communication had rejected the fire safety case and directed the MEA to rectify the identified shortcomings. The latest inspection indicated that the other issues had subsequently been addressed, while the concerns involving the fire-check doors and unauthorised basement modifications remained pending. The fire department has asked the ministry to complete the remaining rectification work before applying for another inspection. The department said the premises could be considered again for clearance once the required corrective measures had been completed.

The fire department's latest letter, dated September 25, also stated that occupation of the premises without the requisite fire safety arrangements would be at the risk and liability of the owner or occupier. It invited the MEA to seek a re-inspection after the outstanding shortcomings were rectified. MEA representatives did not respond to queries regarding the rejected clearance and the corrective measures being undertaken at the premises.

Jawaharlal Nehru Bhawan is a red sandstone government office complex located on Janpath in central Delhi and houses the Ministry of External Affairs. The complex has three interconnected blocks, with buildings ranging between three and five floors. Its construction was completed in 2011. The latest fire safety decision means the MEA will have to address the remaining basement-related concerns before seeking another inspection and clearance from the Delhi Fire Service.

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