Odisha Fire Safety Inspection Drive Begins, Checks to Continue Till October 15

16 Sep 2026, 07:06 by Vinay Kakkad · KalingaTV

A month-long exercise is underway in Odisha to check whether major buildings are adequately prepared to deal with fire emergencies, with authorities turning their attention to both newer and older structures.

The state government began the special review on September 15, with inspections scheduled to continue through October 15. Shopping malls, hospitals and educational institutions are among the establishments being covered.

The Odisha Fire & Emergency Services will carry out surprise checks as part of the exercise. Officials will assess whether buildings are meeting prescribed safety requirements and look for shortcomings that could affect their ability to respond during a fire.

The campaign follows a major hotel fire in Delhi in which 23 people were killed. The incident has prompted the state to undertake a wider review of preparedness in public and commercial buildings.

Fire Service Director General Sudhanshu Sarangi said PTI that the inspection teams would specifically examine educational institutions, hospitals and shopping malls. He said newer buildings generally have the necessary safety provisions, while older structures require greater attention to ensure that their systems remain operational and capable of responding to emergencies.

The department has said the exercise is intended not only to identify deficiencies but also to improve compliance among building owners and operators. It described the review as an effort to strengthen preparedness across communities in Odisha, framing safer communities as an essential part of the state’s broader development.

Buildings found to have violated or deviated from prescribed requirements will face further action. According to Sarangi, the proprietor will be served a notice, while the concerned development authority will also be informed about the violation.

The inspections will therefore run until October 15, giving the Fire & Emergency Services a month-long window to review safety arrangements and flag deficiencies in major public and commercial premises across the state.