The Gujarat government has resolved a long-pending issue by appointing the Urban Development Department (UDD) as the single authority to inspect factories and issue Fire No Objection Certificates (Fire NOCs) across the state.
The decision ends nearly five years of uncertainty that left over 51,000 factories without valid fire safety certificates due to confusion over which government department was responsible for issuing them.
The problem began in 2021, when the Urban Development Department stated that industrial units were outside its jurisdiction, while the Labour Department lacked the specialised equipment and trained personnel needed to inspect industrial fire safety systems. As a result, the Fire NOC process came to a standstill.
To resolve the issue, the state government has clearly divided the responsibilities of the two departments. The UDD will now handle fire safety inspections and issue Fire NOCs, while the Labour Department will continue to oversee workplace safety and labour-related regulations.
The government has also announced the creation of a dedicated industrial fire safety wing within the Urban Development Department. Municipal corporations will establish separate fire units for industrial areas and non-industrial buildings, with additional funding to strengthen firefighting capabilities for industrial emergencies.
Industry bodies have welcomed the decision and urged the government to implement the new certification system quickly, saying it will improve factory safety and simplify compliance for businesses.