What happened
A fire at the Sethi Complex in Purohitji Ka Katla, a market in Jaipur's walled city, on 17 September 2026 destroyed 15-20 shops. A Rajasthan State Human Rights Commission inspection afterward found the complex had no Fire Department NOC, a hydrant point stuffed with lemons and chillies, and fire-suppression nozzles on an upper floor sealed shut by decorative garlands. A dedicated ₹4-crore hydrant network built for the walled city's narrow lanes did not work as intended during the fire. Two Jaipur Nagar Nigam fire officials were suspended, and a departmental committee and the Human Rights Commission are both still examining the complex's compliance history.
What this means for you
A shop that has traded for years, has an electricity connection and a trade licence, and looks like any other running business, can still be operating without a valid Fire NOC — a fact that usually only surfaces after an inspection or an incident, by which point the financial loss falls on the current shopkeeper or tenant. This risk is highest in older, densely built markets and multi-storey commercial complexes, especially where floors have been informally added, converted or sub-let over time, or where firefighting vehicles cannot physically reach the building.
Red flags and common frauds
- A landlord or seller who cannot produce a Fire NOC but says it is "not required" or "being renewed" without a copy of the application.
- A commercial complex where hydrants, extinguishers or sprinklers are visibly present but clearly not maintained — corroded, blocked, or disconnected.
- Rooftop or upper-floor restaurants, godowns or additional shops that were not part of the building's originally approved plan.
- Narrow or obstructed stairwells and exits in a multi-storey market building, with no visible fire-safety signage.
- Being told safety compliance "doesn't matter" because the market has "never had a serious fire" — most older markets in Jaipur have not been formally inspected in years.
How to verify, step by step
- Ask the current owner or landlord for a copy of the Fire NOC and check its validity date — a NOC is typically renewed periodically, not issued once for life.
- For buildings above a certain height or built-up area, Rajasthan's building bye-laws require a Fire NOC before occupation; ask which category the building falls under and whether that NOC was obtained before construction was completed.
- Cross-check the building's approved map with JDA or Nagar Nigam records against what is actually built — extra floors, rooftop structures or converted units are a common way buildings end up out of compliance.
- Visually check that hydrants, extinguishers and fire-alarm points in the building are unobstructed, not expired, and not being used to store goods.
- Ask about the building's nearest working fire hydrant and whether fire tenders can physically access the property — this matters most in the walled city and other dense markets.
- If you cannot get a straight answer or documentation from the landlord or seller, you can also raise a query directly with the local fire station or Nagar Nigam's fire wing for the building's compliance status.
- Keep a copy of whatever Fire NOC or compliance documents you're shown, and treat a refusal to share them as a reason to negotiate harder or walk away, not as a minor formality.