Bengaluru: Even as the city’s skyline rises with state-built housing, a basic question looms large — are these homes safe to live in? In multiple projects of Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), missing fire clearances and incomplete safety systems are turning dream homes into potential hazards.One such case is BDA Indraprastha apartment complex in Kengeri, which has been denied a fire no-objection certificate. The complex, with multiple high-rise buildings, allegedly falls short of mandated open space norms.When TOI approached residents, many said a lack of fire NOCs and lift clearances is commonplace in BDA apartments. Narayana Shetty, a resident of Gunjur BDA complex that has 868 flats, said: “Construction of the apartment began in 2013 and a completion notice was issued in 2015, but even now a lot of maintenance work is pending, mainly because of delays on the contractor’s part. We received permanent electricity only in March 2024, but fire and lift clearances are still missing. Residents are living in risky conditions. Luckily, nothing has happened so far, but we should be prepared.”A flat owner at BDA Indraprastha complex said: “The most serious concern is fire safety, as the fire department has denied NOC because of the lack of 4-metre access space for fire vehicles. Existing fire systems are non-functional — pumps don’t work, diesel connections are incomplete, and systems remain uncommissioned. Basic safety equipment is missing, with around 250 fire extinguishers yet to be installed. There have already been two fire incidents, both managed by residents. People have been living here since 2018.”A BDA flat owner from west Bengaluru said: “We bought these BDA apartments trusting that all the mandatory approvals were in place. It is alarming to learn that these approvals are missing not just for our apartments but across several BDA projects. This raises serious questions around compliance and, more importantly, the safety of residents.”A member of BDA Apartment Owners Forum said: “Several BDA projects do not have statutory approvals such as fire NOC, which is a matter of concern for residents. BDA says it has initiated discussions with its engineering teams and relevant departments to address this. We remain cautiously optimistic and expect timely action.”According to official data, four BDA apartment complexes — Gunjur Phase 1 and 2, Thippasandra project, and Valagerahalli Phase 5 — have not received fire NOCs so far. A senior BDA official said, “We’re working on it and moving at a fast pace to ensure compliance with all legal requirements. Necessary permissions for funds have been given, including for land acquisition, and all technical requirements will be addressed.”
