Is a fire NOC required for a temple?

Yes in most states once 50 or more people gather, because the codes treat a temple as an assembly building. Gujarat, Telangana, Kerala and West Bengal name religious buildings; Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Haryana cover every assembly building; Karnataka starts only at 21 m.

Do churches, mosques and gurudwaras need a fire NOC too?

The same lines apply to every faith: NBC 2016 and NBCS 2026 speak of places of worship, and Gujarat's renewal row names temple, mosque, gurudwara and church together, from 250 m² of built-up area.

Is the fire NOC free for religious places?

Only in some places. Chandigarh exempts places of worship from its certificate charge, and Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh charge no building any fee. Gujarat charges a religious structure Rs 8 or Rs 9 per m² under 10 m.

Who gives permission for fireworks at a temple festival?

The District Magistrate, on a Form LE-6 licence under the Explosives Rules 2008, applied for on Form AE-6. It lasts at most 1 month, keeps spectators 100 m away and needs 250 m from hospitals and schools; Kerala wants the application 2 months ahead.

What changed after the Puttingal temple fire?

Kerala's Police Headquarters issued Circular 10/2018: a single window at the District Magistrate, PESO authorisation for traditional fireworks, chlorate tests, organisers' risk assessments and reports every 15 days. The Rajya Sabha recorded more than 105 dead and 429 injured.

Can a temple light lamps and camphor inside?

NBCS 2026 bars open flame lighting in places of assembly except for ceremonies, which the fire authority may permit under restrictions. Ask in writing, keep lamps away from cloth and flowers, and keep extinguishers of the right type at hand.

Does a heritage temple have to add fire exits?

Not necessarily. NBCS 2026 Annex M lets the authority accept a performance-based design for a heritage building built before the first NBC, proved by engineering calculations or fire modelling, where new stairs would damage it.

Who is responsible if a stampede or fire happens at a shrine?

Inquiry commissions have blamed the managers as well as the State: the Sabarimala commission named the State, the Devaswom Board and the Electricity Board; the Mandhardev commission named the temple trust and the electricity company.

Fire NOC 33 min read

Fire NOC for a temple, church, mosque or gurudwara: state lines, festival fireworks and crowds

Updated October 2026By Flamekite Editorial DeskFacts checked against official sources on 25 October 2026

Quick answer

A place of worship is an assembly building once 50 or more people gather in it: NBC 2016 names places of worship under D-3 from 300 persons (D-4 below), and NBCS 2026 names them in Group D. Gujarat writes religious structures into its fee rows, Telangana catches religious places on a plot above 500 m² or from 6 m, and Kerala needs both a fire NOC and the District Collector's NOC.

Festival fireworks are a separate licence: Form LE-6 from the District Magistrate under the Explosives Rules 2008, valid for at most one month, with 100 m kept between the display and spectators and 250 m from hospitals and schools. Puttingal, on 10 April 2016, killed more than 105 people, by the Rajya Sabha's count.

Place of worship in NBC 2016: D-3 or D-4; Split at 300 persons; The terms
Fireworks to spectators, Form LE-6: 100 m; 250 m from hospitals and schools; In numbers
Gujarat religious building renewal line: over 250 m²; Rs 1,000 to renew; State table
Puttingal, 10 April 2016: More than 105; Dead, by the Rajya Sabha's count; At a glance

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Fire NOC for a temple, church or mosque at a glance: 12 facts

How the fire codes, state laws, explosives rules and official records treat places of worship and festivals at them, each fact with the instrument behind it. Last verified 25 October 2026.
What	The rule	Source
Occupancy in NBC 2016	Group D from 50 persons; D-3 (300 or more, no permanent stage or seating) names places of worship and heritage and archaeological monuments; D-4 is the same below 300	BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
Occupancy in NBCS 2026	Group D, where not less than 50 persons gather for religious and other purposes; places of worship are a named example and there are no subdivisions	BIS, SP 7:2026
Small prayer halls, NBCS 2026	Up to 500 m² and up to 9 m, both: self-certification by a certified, State-approved building professional is acceptable (Table 7D)	BIS, SP 7:2026
Older approvals, NBC 2016 Table 7	Under 10 m: extinguishers, first-aid hose reel, down-comer and manual alarm, with a 20,000 litre terrace tank up to 300 persons and 25,000 litres above	NBC 2016, Part 4
Gujarat	Religious structures sit in the assembly rows from 50 persons; existing religious buildings (temple, mosque, gurudwara, church) over 250 m² renew on a Rs 1,000 form	Gujarat Fire Safety Compliance Portal
Telangana	Religious places on a plot above 500 m² or 6 m and taller need a NOC before plan approval (section 13(1))	TG Fire Service Act
Kerala	Assembly buildings over 200 m², religious use included, need a fire NOC whatever the storeys, and every new religious building needs the District Collector's NOC	KMBR 2019
West Bengal	Religious places up to 10 m, 500 m² and 300 persons self-certify online once a year on Form-4 instead of taking a certificate	WB notification 1930
Fee exemption	Chandigarh exempts places of worship from fire safety certificate charges and religious events from standby charges	MCC Office Order 23
Festival fireworks	Form LE-6 from the District Magistrate, valid at most 1 month, 100 m from spectators, nothing lit within 15 m of a tent	Explosives Rules 2008
Puttingal, Kollam	More than 105 dead and 429 injured in the fire and explosions at a fireworks display on 10 April 2016	Rajya Sabha debates
National code status	NBC 2016 was withdrawn on 30 April 2026; NBCS 2026 is voluntary, and only Assam had written it into its fire law by 24 October 2026	Assam Act XIII of 2026

Fire NOC lines for places of worship: 24 states and UTs

When a permanent temple, church, mosque or gurudwara, and when a festival structure or event at one, crosses each state's line, in the instrument's words. "Not named" means the instrument Flamekite read sets no line for religious buildings. Checked 25 October 2026.
Option	Permanent temple, church, mosque or gurudwara	Festival structure or event	Instrument	Source
Gujarat	Religious structures in the assembly rows from 50 persons under 10 m; existing religious buildings over 250 m² renew on form C10RG1-Re	Religious gatherings in tents: a temporary structure on Rs 2,000	Fire Regulations 2023, Tables 1 and 2, Annexures 8 and 9	Gujarat Fire Safety Compliance Portal
Telangana	Religious places on a plot above 500 m² or 6 m and taller	Not in section 13; temporary structures apply separately	Fire Service Act 1999, s.13(1)	TG Fire Service Act
Andhra Pradesh	All assembly buildings since 1 December 2025; before that, religious places above 500 m² of plot or from 6 m	Not found	Fire Service Act 1999, s.13 as amended in 2026	Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly
Kerala	Group D over 200 m², religious use included, at any number of storeys; the District Collector's NOC for every new religious building	Display fireworks through the District Magistrate's single window, 2 months ahead	KMBR 2019, rules 5(4) and 25; Police circular 10/2018	KMBR 2019
West Bengal	Religious places up to 10 m, 500 m² and 300 persons self-certify yearly on Form-4; above any line, the full certificate	Puja pandals take section 23A permission, decided in 15 days	Notification 1930 of 1 March 2024	WB notification 1930
Rajasthan	Assembly buildings for 50 persons or more, religious gatherings named	Pandals for 50 persons or more, or of 50 m²	UDH and LSG order of 14 September 2023, Table 1	Rajasthan UDH
Delhi	Every assembly building at any height (Rule 27(6))	Pandals for more than 50 persons or over 50 m² (Rule 27(1))	DFS Rules 2010, Rule 27 as amended on 26 May 2026	DFS
Uttar Pradesh	Every assembly building; the certificate lasts 1 year	No pandal line in the Rules read	Act of 2022, s.26(3); Rules 2024, rule 44	UP Rules 2024
Bihar	Every assembly building	Erector's declaration on Form R; checked above 5,001 sq ft	Fire Service Rules 2021, rules 15 and 18	Bihar Rules 2021
Haryana	All assembly buildings, whatever the size	Erector self-regulates with a signed declaration	Fire and Emergency Services Act 2022, ss.16 and 18	Government of Haryana
Chandigarh	Assembly buildings under the Haryana Act as extended; places of worship pay no certificate charge	Standby fire vehicles free for religious events	MCC Office Orders 22 and 23 of 10 February 2025	MCC Office Order 23
Himachal Pradesh	All assembly buildings (class 7)	Pandals seating more than 500, or over 500 m²	Section 9 notification of 23 July 2019	HP Home notification
Chhattisgarh	Every NBC assembly building	Pandals for more than 50 persons or over 50 m²	Section 14(1) notification of 29 November 2022	Home Department, Chhattisgarh
Jammu and Kashmir	Places of worship with ancillary uses are use class PSP3, inside the fire NOC list of clause 2.18(2)	Not found	Unified Building Bye-Laws 2021	J&K Gazette
Mizoram	Note 1 asks congregations over 300 for a hose reel, manual alarm and 2,000 litre tank, but exempts places of worship	Form D for a pandal of any purpose, religious included; at most 30 days	Fire and Emergency Services Rules, Third Schedule as amended in 2026	Mizoram Home Dept
Assam	Assembly buildings, places of worship named in the fee row	Temporary structure guidelines on Rs 1,000, religious festivals exempt	Fee Annexure A; Act LIII of 2025	Assam fee Annexure A
Tripura	Assembly up to 10 m and 200 m²: self-certification; above either line: recommendation	Erector self-regulates under the Act	Fire Safety Rules 2026, rules 6 and 7	Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services, Tripura
Odisha	Places of assembly with 500 m² on one or more floors	1,000 m² or more than 2,000 people: apply 7 days ahead	Rules as amended in 2019, rules 9 and 10	Odisha Rules 2019
Sikkim	Every assembly building; certificate for 1 year	Form A15 with a layout plan 24 hours before the event	Rules 2025, rules 30 and 44 to 46	Sikkim F&ES Rules 2025
Goa	Assembly halls at any size; Rs 10 per m²	Temporary structures and tented enclosures listed in 2014	Section 13 notification of 2014; services charter	DFES Goa charter
Karnataka	21 m or more, any occupancy	Not found	Fire Force Act, s.13(3) as amended in 2023	Government of Karnataka
Tamil Nadu	Not named in rule 64(3) as read; the Director's NOC from 18.3 m	Not in the building rules	TNCDBR 2019, rule 64(3)	TNCDBR 2019
Maharashtra (Mumbai)	Not confirmed for places of worship	Ganpati, Navratri, Moharrum, Eid and other religious festival pandals are outside the row 6(A) pandal fee	MCGM schedule of fees, BRC 69 of 30 March 2026	MCGM BRC 69
Puducherry	Not named; the NOC service is free and takes 15 to 30 days	Standby crews for temple functions and Kumbabishegam: Rs 1.50 a km and Rs 10 a day	Fire Service services page, updated 5 August 2026	Puducherry Fire Service

Getting a place of worship's fire NOC in 8 steps

Count the congregation the floor can hold
A congregation standing or seated on the floor is concentrated use without fixed seating: NBCS 2026 allows 0.65 m² a person. Compare the result with 50, where assembly starts, and 300, where NBC 2016 moves a place of worship from D-4 to D-3.
Find your state's line in the table above
Gujarat, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, West Bengal and Rajasthan word their lines so that religious buildings are caught; Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Haryana cover every assembly building; West Bengal lets small ones self-certify.
Clear the land-use papers first
In Kerala a new religious building needs the District Collector's NOC under KMBR rule 5(4), and a renovation without added floor area goes to the Secretary after the Collector is informed on Appendix I.
Treat a heritage shrine as a special case
Where exits cannot be added without damaging a heritage building built before the first NBC, NBCS 2026 Annex M lets the authority accept a performance-based design proved by engineering calculations or fire modelling.
Fit the systems for the floor area
Up to 500 m² and 9 m a professional's self-certification is acceptable; 501 to 1,000 m² needs extinguishers, hose reel, wet riser and detection; from 1,001 m² add a yard hydrant and sprinklers, and sprinkler any kitchen inside the building.
File online with the plan and occupant load
Upload the layout, the congregation count and the exit plan. Gujarat renews an existing religious building over 250 m² on form C10RG1-Re for Rs 1,000; the document lists for every state are on the documents page.
Plan festival fireworks 2 months ahead
Apply on Form AE-6 for an LE-6 licence from the District Magistrate; Kerala asks for the application 2 months before the display and grants it at least 1 month before. Tell the licensing authority 15 days before the display (the 2024 LE-6 form; it was 7).
Diary the renewal and the festival calendar
Uttar Pradesh and Sikkim give assembly buildings 1 year, West Bengal's Form-4 is filed every year, and an LE-6 licence never runs past 1 month, so each festival season needs a fresh one.

Temple, church and mosque terms a fire officer uses: 13 definitions

The class written on the file decides which line applies. A place of worship is D-3 or D-4 under NBC 2016, and 12 more terms below come from the codes, the explosives rules and the state instruments that name religious buildings.

Group D (NBC 2016): Any building or part where 50 or more persons gather for religious, social, civil and similar purposes; the code's own list of examples includes places of worship. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
D-3 or D-4: Assembly without a permanent theatrical stage or permanent seating: D-3 for 300 persons or more, D-4 below 300. The D-3 examples name places of worship, community halls and heritage and archaeological monuments. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
Group D (NBCS 2026): The same 50-person line with no subdivisions; places of worship are listed beside auditoria, museums and stadia. BIS, SP 7:2026
Concentrated use without fixed seating: NBCS 2026 Table 2's densest assembly row, 0.65 m² a person, the nearest fit for a congregation standing or seated on the floor. BIS, SP 7:2026
Annex M, performance-based design: The NBCS 2026 route for heritage buildings built before the first NBC that cannot take extra stairs or refuges: an alternative design validated by calculations or fire modelling, accepted by the local authority. BIS, SP 7:2026
Ceremonial open flame: NBCS 2026 bars open flame lighting in a place of assembly except where needed for ceremonies, which the enforcing authority may permit under restrictions (clause 6.4.2.1(t)(1)). BIS, SP 7:2026
Display fireworks: A group of authorised manufactured fireworks assembled at the site solely for display (Explosives Rules 2008, rule 2(19)). Explosives Rules 2008
Form LE-6: The licence to possess and use fireworks for public display, granted by the District Magistrate under article 6 of Schedule IV, for at most 1 month. Explosives Rules 2008
Form AE-6: PESO's application under rule 113 for that licence: applicant, supervisors, fireworks, supplier's licence, storage place, date, time and location. PESO Form AE-6
Religious building, C10RG1-Re (Gujarat): Table 2's row 44 for renewing certificates issued before the 2023 Regulations: temple, mosque, gurudwara and church over 250 m² of built-up area. Gujarat Fire Safety Compliance Portal
Group D (Kerala KMBR): Kerala's assembly class starts above 200 m² of built-up area and names religious purposes; below that a small shrine is not Group D on the rule's words. KMBR 2019
Religious places, Form-4 (West Bengal): Assembly buildings D-1 to D-5 up to 10 m, 500 m² and 300 persons that self-certify yearly instead of taking a certificate. WB notification 1930
Kumbabishegam standby (Puducherry): A fire tender and crew sent to a temple consecration or function as a precaution, charged to non-government organisers. Puducherry Fire Service

Fire systems for a temple or prayer hall by floor area: NBCS 2026 Table 7D

NBCS 2026 sizes an assembly building's systems by floor area first and height second. These are its rows for a place of worship, plus 3 notes that bite on temples in particular.

	Hose, riser and hydrant	Sprinklers, detection and sign-off
Up to 500 m² and up to 9 m (both) BIS, SP 7:2026	Not tabulated for this band	A certified, State-approved building professional's self-certification is acceptable
501 to 1,000 m², under 15 m (HL-3) BIS, SP 7:2026	Extinguishers, first-aid hose reel and wet riser; no down-comer and no yard hydrant	Automatic detection and alarm; no sprinklers and no voice evacuation system
1,001 m² and above (CL-4) BIS, SP 7:2026	Extinguishers, hose reel, wet riser and yard hydrant	Automatic sprinklers, detection and alarm
Above 15 m, any area (CL-4) BIS, SP 7:2026	The same as above 1,000 m², pumps sized by hydraulic calculation (Note 4)	Automatic sprinklers, detection and alarm
A langar, annadanam or temple kitchen inside the building BIS, SP 7:2026	Follows the hall's row	Sprinklers over the live cooking area to CL-4, even in a smaller hall (Note 3)
A hill shrine where it falls below 4 °C BIS, SP 7:2026	A dry riser is recommended, connected to the yard hydrant, for buildings up to 24 m (Remark 1)	Checked every quarter for flow and pressure
A heritage building built before the first NBC BIS, SP 7:2026	Exits that would damage the fabric may be replaced by a performance-based design (Annex M)	Proved by engineering calculations or fire modelling; the local authority decides

Places of worship approved before 30 April 2026 were built to NBC 2016 Table 7: under 10 m, extinguishers, hose reel, down-comer, manual alarm and a terrace tank of 20,000 or 25,000 litres; from 10 m a wet riser and detection; from 15 m sprinklers and a yard hydrant; assembly above 30 m not permitted. NBCS 2026 is voluntary except in Assam.

Fireworks at a temple festival in numbers: 10 limits

Form LE-6 under the Explosives Rules 2008 and Kerala's 2018 police circular put these figures on a festival display. The distances are the licence's own conditions.

100 m
Between the display area and the spectators (LE-6 condition 3), barricaded in Kerala Explosives Rules 2008
250 m
From a hospital, nursing home or school, unless the local authority and the owner consent (condition 11) Explosives Rules 2008
15 m
Nearest any firework may be lit to a tent, canvas shelter or vehicle; also the gap kept from any electrical wire Explosives Rules 2008
50 km/h
Wind speed above which no display may go on (condition 7) Explosives Rules 2008
10 m
Between groups of different-size mortars, each buried half its length (condition 16) Explosives Rules 2008
7 days
Notice to the licensing authority of time, place, fireworks, supplier and supervisors (condition 1) Explosives Rules 2008
1 month
Longest an LE-6 display licence can run (rule 106(2)) Explosives Rules 2008
Rs 500
One-time fee for possession and public display of fireworks in the 2008 text of Schedule IV Explosives Rules 2008
2 months
How early Kerala's District Magistrate wants the application before the display date Kerala Police circular
15 days
How often Kerala's District Magistrate reports on displays to the State through the festival season Kerala Police circular

Lamps, camphor, wiring and generators in a place of worship: 12 checks

No Indian fire service has published a lamp-by-lamp code for shrines. These 12 checks come from NBCS 2026, NDMA's 2014 crowd guide and the LE-6 licence conditions.

Ask the fire authority in writing before keeping a ceremonial flame, lamp or aarti indoors: NBCS 2026, 6.4.2.1(t)(1), lets it permit open flame for ceremonies only under restrictions. BIS, SP 7:2026
Use no other open flame lighting in the hall; candles are allowed only on restaurant tables and flames only on a theatre stage. BIS, SP 7:2026
Treat cloth canopies, curtains and paper decorations with a flame retardant (NBCS 2026, 6.4.1.1(a)). BIS, SP 7:2026
Place extinguishers of the right type, water, foam or powder, at the crowd's critical control points. NDMA crowd guide
Keep generators, distribution boxes and circuit breakers in an isolated, fenced place, protected from the weather. NDMA crowd guide
Store generator diesel in a safe, clearly labelled place, away from the queue. NDMA crowd guide
Cover every cable that crosses a crowd route so nobody trips in a rush. NDMA crowd guide
Remove illegal connections, aluminium wires used in place of copper and wrong fittings such as unsuitable MCBs: all 3 are named causes of crowd fires. NDMA crowd guide
Have the wiring and every electrical appliance certified safe by a qualified person the government designates. NDMA crowd guide
Keep water tanks, hydrants and first-aid kits at the site for festival days. NDMA crowd guide
Sprinkler a kitchen with live cooking inside the building to CL-4 (NBCS 2026 Table 7D, Note 3). BIS, SP 7:2026
Keep festival fireworks 15 m from any tent or shamiana and from any electrical wire (LE-6 conditions 10 and 15). Explosives Rules 2008

Festival permissions at a temple, church or mosque: 10 official routes

A festival brings a second set of papers on top of the building's own. Each route below is an official one; the pandal rules in full are on the banquet halls page.

All India
LE-6 display licence
The District Magistrate grants the licence to possess and use fireworks for public display, for at most 1 month, on a Form AE-6 application with a site plan. Explosives Rules 2008
Kerala
District Magistrate's single window
Apply 2 months before the display; permission comes at least 1 month before. Storage near the site needs a licence from PESO's Ernakulam office. Kerala Police circular
Kerala
Temporary pandal NOC
Temporary pandals take a fire NOC under the Places of Public Resort Act, a separate service on Kerala's Right to Service list. KFRS Right to Service
Gujarat
Religious gathering in a tent: Rs 2,000
Annexure 8 lists religious gatherings with events and exhibitions as temporary structures, at a Rs 2,000 lump sum with the online checklist. Gujarat Fire Safety Compliance Portal
West Bengal
Puja pandal in 15 days
Temporary structures and pandals take section 23A permission, which the department must decide within 15 days. WB RTPS notification
Assam
Festival structures exempt
Temporary structure guidelines cost Rs 1,000, with an exemption written in for religious festivals and occasions. Assam fee Annexure A
Mizoram
Form D for a religious pandal
Any group erecting a pandal for a religious, social or other purpose applies on Form D with the layout and an electrician's certificate. Home Department, Mizoram
Mumbai
Festival pandals outside row 6(A)
The 2026-27 pandal fee of Rs 3,680 to Rs 21,970 expressly excludes Ganpati, Navratri, Moharrum, Eid and other religious festival pandals. MCGM BRC 69
Puducherry
Standby crew for a temple function
The fire service sends a tender for temple functions and Kumbabishegam: Rs 1.50 a km and Rs 10 a day for non-government organisers, free for government. Puducherry Fire Service
Chandigarh
Standby free for religious events
Office Order 22 exempts NGO, religious and government events from the Rs 579 an hour standby charge. MCC Office Order 22

What Kerala's police chief wrote about fireworks and tradition in 2018

Two years after Puttingal, Kerala's Police Headquarters issued Circular No. 10/2018 under rule 126 of the Explosives Rules, with 12 directions for displays at festivals.

Word for word

It should be understood that relevant permissions wherever required have to be obtained from the appropriate authorities and that Police Department cannot be expected to ignore these legal requirements in the name of tradition history, local public pressure and such other extraneous considerations.

Circular No. 10/2018, No. T8-46276/2018/PHQ, Police Headquarters, Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, 26 March 2018, signed by the DGP and State Police Chief Kerala Police circular

The circular makes the District Magistrate's office the single window for LE-6 licences; allows only fireworks authorised by the Chief Controller of Explosives, with traditional amittus, kuzhiminnal, palm-leaf crackers, multishots and gundus approved by PESO in 10 days and authorised within 30 days of samples; has samples tested at the Regional Chemical Examiner's Laboratory, Ernakulam for potassium chlorate; asks organisers for a risk assessment by a reputed organisation before they apply; moves a display that lacks its 100 m and 250 m distances, or is congested; and calls for zero tolerance of any deviation.

Temple fires, stampedes and the rules that followed: 1997 to 2026

Seventeen dated steps, from NDMA's list of crowd disasters at religious sites to the codes in force today.

24 February 1997
Fire at a religious congregation in Baripada, Odisha: 206 dead, NDMA's table records. NDMA crowd guide
14 January 1999
Sabarimala, Kerala: 52 pilgrims killed at Pampa hill top; the Chandrasekhara Menon Commission found a breach of duty of care by the State, the Devaswom Board and the Electricity Board. NDMA crowd guide
25 January 2005
Mandhardev, Wai, Satara: 293 killed in a stampede, with fires and gas cylinder explosions adding to the panic; the Kochar Commission named the temple trust's negligence. NDMA crowd guide
6 September 2006
GSR 225 lists palm-leaf crackers among authorised explosives; their size and composition still need the Chief Controller's approval. Kerala Police circular
26 March 2007
The Supreme Court's order in W.P.(C) 72 of 1998, later cited as the basis for relaxing display timings at festivals. Kerala Police circular
3 August 2008
Naina Devi temple, Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh: 162 killed in a stampede. NDMA crowd guide
30 September 2008
Chamunda Devi temple, Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur: 249 killed. NDMA crowd guide
29 December 2008
The Explosives Rules 2008 (G.S.R. 907(E)) create Form LE-6 for public display, with its 100 m and 250 m conditions. Explosives Rules 2008
14 January 2011
Sabarimala again: 102 killed. NDMA crowd guide
13 October 2013
Ratangarh, Datia: 121 killed when a bridge railing broke under a crowd. NDMA crowd guide
2014
NDMA publishes its guide on managing crowds at venues of mass gathering, saying religious places have a high probability of crowd disasters. NDMA crowd guide
10 April 2016
Puttingal Temple, Paravoor, Kollam: more than 105 dead and 429 injured in fire and explosions during a fireworks display. Rajya Sabha debates
26 March 2018
Kerala Police Circular No. 10/2018 sets 12 directions for festival displays under rule 126. Kerala Police circular
13 December 2023
Gujarat's Fire Regulations put religious structures in the assembly fee rows and give existing religious buildings over 250 m² their own renewal row. Gujarat Fire Safety Compliance Portal
1 March 2024
West Bengal lets religious places up to 10 m, 500 m² and 300 persons self-certify on Form-4. WB notification 1930
1 December 2025
Andhra Pradesh's amendment brings all assembly buildings under the fire certificate, in place of the old 500 m² plot or 6 m line for religious places. Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly
30 April 2026
NBC 2016 is withdrawn; NBCS 2026 keeps places of worship in Group D. Gazette of India

Where temple and shrine safety fails: 8 faults from inquiry reports

NDMA's 2014 guide compiled these faults from the inquiry commissions into Mandhardev, Sabarimala and other crowd disasters, and Kerala's 2018 circular added the fireworks ones.

If Vendors with gas cylinders on both sides of a narrow, wet approach path, as at Mandhardev in 2005
Let only authorised, identity-carded vendors cook, keep shops to one side, and leave a 3 or 4 m gap after every 5 or 6 shops. NDMA crowd guide
If Illegal electric connections along the route
Disconnect them; the Mandhardev commission found negligence by both the temple trust and the electricity company. NDMA crowd guide
If A temple compound too small for the day's crowd
Estimate the crowd for the busiest day, set staging points that count people through, and open more than one route. NDMA crowd guide
If Pilgrims far above the holding capacity of a hill top, as at Sabarimala in 1999
Use ticketing and numbering at the gateways, barricades, lighting and a waiting hall, as the Menon Commission advised. NDMA crowd guide
If Unauthorised fireworks set off in an enclosed place
Take an LE-6 licence, keep spectators 100 m away and move the display to open ground. NDMA crowd guide
If Traditional fireworks made with potassium chlorate
Have samples tested before the season; fireworks with chlorate or prohibited chemicals may not be used (rule 128(c)). Kerala Police circular
If A display site with the distances on paper but too crowded to evacuate
Shift it to an open area, as Kerala's circular directs, even where 100 m is available. Kerala Police circular
If A synthetic tent or a generator shorting under a festival canopy
Fence generators off, use flame-retardant fabrics, and keep wiring certified by a qualified person. NDMA crowd guide

Place of worship fire NOC fees and exemptions in official schedules

Few states charge religious buildings differently, but the 4 that name them go both ways: Gujarat prices them, Chandigarh and Assam exempt parts. A consultant's charge is a private price on top.

As published

Gujarat, religious structure under 10 m, 50 to 300 personsRs 8 per m²Plus Rs 1,000 for plan approval and Rs 1,000 for each renewal Gujarat Fire Safety Compliance Portal
Gujarat, religious structure under 10 m, over 300 personsRs 9 per m²Plus Rs 1,500 for the plan and Rs 1,500 to renew; Rs 12 per m² from 10 m to 15 m Gujarat Fire Safety Compliance Portal
Gujarat, renewing an existing religious building over 250 m²Rs 1,000Lump sum on form C10RG1-Re, Annexure 9 Gujarat Fire Safety Compliance Portal
Assam, assembly building incl. places of worship, under 10 mRs 1,000 to Rs 1,500Up to 150 m², to 500 m², over 500 m² Assam fee Annexure A
Chandigarh, place of worshipExemptOther assembly buildings pay Rs 6,615 or Rs 14 per m² MCC Office Order 23
Kerala, assembly above 10 mRs 40 per m²Minimum Rs 26,000 Kerala Fire and Rescue Services
Rajasthan, Nagar Nigam areaRs 2 per sq ftRs 1.50 in a Nagar Parishad, Rs 1 in a Nagar Palika Rajasthan UDH
Uttar PradeshNilThe online dashboard lists no fee UP Fire dashboard
Puducherry, standby at a temple functionRs 1.50 a km and Rs 10 a dayNon-government organisers; free for government Puducherry Fire Service
LE-6 fireworks display licenceRs 500One-time fee in the Explosives Rules 2008 as notified Explosives Rules 2008

Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh collect no fire NOC fee for any building. Every state's schedule is on the fire NOC fees page.

Penalties a temple trust or festival committee can face

No Act sets a separate fine for religious buildings; the general fire offence applies, and a display licence can be lost on any breach.

Offence	Penalty	Law
Breaking any condition of an LE-6 display licence	The licence is liable to be suspended or revoked	Form LE-6, Explosives Rules 2008 Explosives Rules 2008
Wilful breach of fire rules or NOC conditions, Telangana	Up to 3 months or up to Rs 25,000, or both; at least 1 month and Rs 5,000 absent special reasons	Section 31, Fire Service Act 1999 TG Fire Service Act
No fire safety certificate after notice, Andhra Pradesh	Up to 3 months or Rs 5,000; wilful breach up to Rs 25,000	Sections 30 and 31, as amended in 2026 Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly
Breaking the fire Act or rules, Gujarat	1 month to 2 years, or Rs 10,000 to Rs 1 lakh, or both	Section 39(1), Act of 2013 Gujarat Gazette
Fire safety offences in a covered building, Delhi	Up to 6 months or Rs 50,000, or both; up to Rs 3,000 a day	Section 37, Delhi Fire Service Act 2007 Caseminestudy
Breaking the fire Act, Uttar Pradesh	Up to 3 months or Rs 10,000, or both; up to Rs 1,000 a day	Sections 36 and 39, Act of 2022 UP Act 16 of 2022
No fire NOC for an assembly building, Rajasthan	Rs 5,000 on the owner or user	Section 291, Rajasthan Municipalities Act 2009, applied by the 2023 order Rajasthan UDH
Breaking the fire Act, Kerala	A fine up to Rs 500	Section 21, Kerala Fire Force Act 1962 Kerala Act 20 of 1962

Inquiry commissions add liability on top: the Sabarimala commission held the State, the Devaswom Board and the Electricity Board in breach of their duty of care. Every state's penalty is on the penalties page.

Does your temple, church, mosque or gurudwara need a fire NOC? 12 cases

Match the building's state and size to one line. Where a state does not name religious buildings, the line given is Flamekite's reading of its assembly row.

If A Delhi temple whose hall holds 50 or more
Rule 27(6) covers every assembly building at any height, so yes. Fire NOC Delhi DFS
If A church in Hyderabad 7 m tall on a 400 m² plot
Section 13(1) catches religious places from 6 m even where the plot is under 500 m², so yes. Fire NOC Telangana TG Fire Service Act
If A single-storey mosque in Telangana under 6 m on a plot of 500 m² or less
Below both lines in section 13(1), so no NOC on the Act's words. Fire NOC Telangana TG Fire Service Act
If Any temple or mosque in Andhra Pradesh used by 50 or more
Since 1 December 2025 all assembly buildings need the certificate; the old 500 m² and 6 m line is gone. Fire NOC Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly
If A new church or temple in a Kerala municipality
The District Collector's NOC for religious buildings in every case, and the fire NOC as well if it is Group D, over 200 m². Fire NOC Kerala KMBR 2019
If Renovating an old Kerala shrine without adding floor area or touching the structure
The Secretary decides after informing the Collector on Appendix I. Fire NOC Kerala KMBR 2019
If Renewing an older certificate for a 300 m² gurudwara in Gujarat
Table 2's row 44 covers religious buildings over 250 m²: form C10RG1-Re and a Rs 1,000 fee. Fire NOC Gujarat Gujarat Fire Safety Compliance Portal
If A Kolkata temple 8 m tall, 450 m², for 250 devotees
Within all 3 Form-4 lines (10 m, 500 m², 300 persons): yearly online self-certification, no certificate. Fire NOC West Bengal WB notification 1930
If A satsang hall in Jaipur where 50 or more gather
Table 1 of the 2023 order covers assembly buildings for religious gatherings from 50 persons. Fire NOC Rajasthan Rajasthan UDH
If A gurdwara in Chandigarh
An assembly building under the Haryana Act as extended, but places of worship pay no certificate charge. Fire NOC Chandigarh MCC Office Order 23
If A church in Mizoram with a congregation over 300
Note 1's hose reel, manual alarm and 2,000 litre tank for gatherings over 300 exempts places of worship. Fire NOC Mizoram 2026 Mizoram Home Dept
If Any temple planning festival fireworks
An LE-6 licence from the District Magistrate, whatever the building's own NOC status. Explosives Rules 2008

Place of worship fire NOC worked cases: 9 buildings and festivals

Flamekite’s working from the official rules; no government publishes this figure.

Flamekite's arithmetic on the codes and schedules for 9 example cases; the buildings are illustrations, the figures are the instruments'.

Case 1
A 600 m² temple in Ahmedabad for 250 devotees
Single storey, 8 m high.
What applies A religious structure under 10 m for 50 to 300 persons: Rs 1,000 for the plan, 600 x Rs 8 = Rs 4,800 for the certificate, Rs 1,000 each renewal. Gujarat Fire Safety Compliance Portal
Case 2
A 900 m² gurudwara darbar hall in Vadodara
7 m high, congregation seated on the floor.
What applies 900 / 0.65 = about 1,384 persons, so over 300: 900 x Rs 9 = Rs 8,100 plus Rs 1,500 for the plan. Gujarat Fire Safety Compliance Portal
Case 3
The same hall's langar kitchen
Live cooking inside the building footprint.
What applies The hall's 900 m² falls in HL-3 (no sprinklers), but NBCS Note 3 still asks sprinklers to CL-4 over the kitchen. BIS, SP 7:2026
Case 4
A church in Secunderabad, 7 m tall
On a 450 m² plot.
What applies The plot is under 500 m² but the building is over 6 m, so section 13(1) needs a NOC before plans are approved. TG Fire Service Act
Case 5
A 180 m² mosque in Kozhikode
New, single storey.
What applies Under Group D's 200 m² line in KMBR, so rule 5(4) item 12(ii) does not catch it on its words; the Collector's NOC for a religious building is still needed. KMBR 2019
Case 6
A 650 m² prayer hall anywhere
No fixed seats, 6 m high.
What applies 650 / 0.65 = 1,000 persons, D-3. NBCS HL-3: extinguishers, hose reel, wet riser and detection; no sprinklers. BIS, SP 7:2026
Case 7
A Kerala temple display on 15 March
Traditional fireworks at the annual festival.
What applies Apply to the District Magistrate by 15 January; permission by 15 February; the LE-6 licence runs at most 1 month. Kerala Police circular
Case 8
A Kumbabishegam in Puducherry
Standby tender for 2 days, 24 km travelled.
What applies 24 x Rs 1.50 = Rs 36, plus 2 x Rs 10 = Rs 20: Rs 56 for a non-government organiser. Puducherry Fire Service
Case 9
A 1,000 m² temple in Chandigarh
Assembly building.
What applies Exempt from the charge; another assembly building of the same size would pay 1,000 x Rs 14 = Rs 14,000. MCC Office Order 23

Temple and church fire safety myths, checked

You may have read
Places of worship are exempt from fire rules.
Myth
What the sources say
NBC 2016 names places of worship in D-3 and NBCS 2026 in Group D; Gujarat, Telangana, Kerala and West Bengal write religious buildings into their lines. Chandigarh exempts only the fee. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
You may have read
Temple fireworks are tradition, so no licence is needed.
Myth
What the sources say
A public display needs an LE-6 licence from the District Magistrate, and Kerala's 2018 circular says tradition and local pressure are no ground to ignore it. Kerala Police circular
You may have read
A heritage temple can never meet the code, so it is excused.
Myth
What the sources say
NBCS 2026 Annex M lets the authority accept a performance-based design for a heritage building built before the first NBC, proved by calculations or fire modelling. BIS, SP 7:2026
You may have read
Lamps and aarti do not count as open flame.
Myth
What the sources say
NBCS 2026 bars open flame lighting in any place of assembly except where the authority permits it for ceremonies, under restrictions. BIS, SP 7:2026
You may have read
Stampedes are a crowd problem, not a fire problem.
Myth
What the sources say
At Mandhardev in 2005 fires and gas cylinder explosions added to the panic that killed 293, and the Baripada fire of 1997 at a religious congregation killed 206. NDMA crowd guide
You may have read
A fire NOC is free for every religious building.
Myth
What the sources say
Gujarat charges a religious structure Rs 8 or Rs 9 per m² under 10 m, and Assam's assembly fee row, Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500, names places of worship. Gujarat Fire Safety Compliance Portal

Running a festival crowd at a shrine: 5 dos and 5 don'ts

NDMA's 2014 guide sets these for the organisers and the local administration of a mass gathering at a place of worship.

Do

Write a crowd management plan that names the hazards, checks whether the arrangements are enough, and is reviewed after each festival. NDMA crowd guide
Keep shops to one side of the approach road, with a 3 or 4 m escape gap after every 5 or 6 shops. NDMA crowd guide
Light barricades and chains at night so the crowd does not trip over them. NDMA crowd guide
Put watch towers, CCTV and a public address system on the crowd, sector by sector. NDMA crowd guide
Hold random inspections and mock drills before the festival, with publicity. NDMA crowd guide

Don’t

Don't admit more people than the holding areas and routes can take. NDMA crowd guide
Don't barricade, block or lock an emergency exit. NDMA crowd guide
Don't cut safety and security to save money. NDMA crowd guide
Don't let the event go on if fire prevention, structural safety or electricity arrangements fall short. NDMA crowd guide
Don't let a VIP visit override the crowd plan: refuse entry if the risk assessment says so. NDMA crowd guide

Temple fire and fireworks orders reported in the press, 2016 to 2023

From news reports, not yet an official source.

These 4 reports are secondary: Flamekite could not read the orders themselves online. They show the pattern after each fire: a court order or a departmental ban within days.

12 April 2016
The Quint reports the Kerala High Court banning high-decibel firecrackers in all places of worship between sunset and sunrise, and seeking a CBI probe, while hearing Justice Chidambaresh's plea. The Quintnews report
19 April 2016
The Quint reports Andhra Pradesh's Endowments Department banning fireworks at temple festivals without the district administration's prior approval, and telling temples with income of Rs 25 lakh or more to consult the District Fire Officer. The Quintnews report
14 February 2018
The News Minute reports Tamil Nadu's steps after the 2 February fire at Madurai's Meenakshi Amman temple, which gutted 36 shops: camphor barred at big temples (income over Rs 10 lakh a year), set places for lamps and a fire engine on standby. The News Minutenews report
3 November 2023
The Week (PTI) reports Justice Amit Rawal of the Kerala High Court barring crackers at religious places at odd hours and ordering raids to seize illegally stored crackers. The Weeknews report

Who signs off a temple fireworks display in Kerala: 8 stops

Kerala's 2018 circular and the LE-6 licence lay out the chain from the festival committee to the District Magistrate's report.

1. Festival committee: risk assessment
A reputed organisation assesses the display's hazards before the committee applies; the district prepares a disaster management plan from it. Kerala Police circular
2. Manufacturer: PESO authorisation
Traditional fireworks go to the Chief Controller under rule 6: approval in 10 days, authorisation within 30 days of samples tested at Sivakasi. Kerala Police circular
3. Committee: Form AE-6 to the District Magistrate
With the site plan, supervisors, the supplier's licence and the storage place, 2 months before the display. PESO Form AE-6
4. PESO Ernakulam: storage licence
Needed if fireworks are stored near the site; the store is shown on the display drawing (rule 71, Schedule IV). Kerala Police circular
5. Police: chlorate test
Samples from the manufacturer go to the Regional Chemical Examiner's Laboratory, Ernakulam, well before the date. Kerala Police circular
6. District Magistrate: distances and licence
Checks 100 m to spectators and 250 m to hospitals and schools, with barricades at 100 m, and grants LE-6 at least 1 month before. Kerala Police circular
7. Licensee: notice and fire cover
Tells the licensing authority 15 days before (condition 1 of the LE-6 form substituted in 2024), and arranges fire fighting equipment and first aid with the fire service. G.S.R. 633(E), 2024
8. District Magistrate: reports every 15 days
To the State, from 1 month before the festival season until it ends: applications, licences, site suitability and compliance. Kerala Police circular

What we could not confirm about fire rules for places of worship

Five gaps a reader would expect filled, and why they are not.

The report of the Justice P.S. Gopinathan Commission on Puttingal, reported in the press as submitted in July 2019, was not found on any official site in English or Malayalam, so none of its findings are given here. The Kerala High Court's orders of 12 April 2016 and 3 November 2023 were read only in news reports; the 2016 central directives under rule 126 that Kerala's circular cites were not found on PESO's site.

The Explosives Rules 2008 were read as notified on 29 December 2008. G.S.R. 633(E) of 2024 substituted Form LE-6 (15 days' notice, 35 conditions, a 2,000 kg cap, certified display operators); the 100 m and 250 m distances are unchanged, and the full 2024 conditions are on the Explosives Rules page. The Explosives Act 1884's penalty section could not be read: India Code returned an error, which Flamekite does not work around.

No official Indian guidance on lamps, ghee, camphor or oil storage in temples was found, and no published fire rule of the Travancore or Cochin Devaswom Boards, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams or the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board. Andhra Pradesh's 2016 Endowments order and Tamil Nadu's 2018 temple measures are known only from the press.

Tamil Nadu's rule 64(3) and Puducherry's G.O.Ms.No.61 do not name places of worship in what Flamekite read, and no religious-building line was found for Maharashtra. IS 8758:2013 on pandals is a paid standard and was not read; NBCS 2026 has no occupant-load row for places of worship, so 0.65 m² a person is Flamekite's reading.

Questions about fire NOCs for temples and places of worship

Is a fire NOC required for a temple?: Yes in most states once 50 or more people gather, because the codes treat a temple as an assembly building. Gujarat, Telangana, Kerala and West Bengal name religious buildings; Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Haryana cover every assembly building; Karnataka starts only at 21 m.
Do churches, mosques and gurudwaras need a fire NOC too?: The same lines apply to every faith: NBC 2016 and NBCS 2026 speak of places of worship, and Gujarat's renewal row names temple, mosque, gurudwara and church together, from 250 m² of built-up area.
Is the fire NOC free for religious places?: Only in some places. Chandigarh exempts places of worship from its certificate charge, and Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh charge no building any fee. Gujarat charges a religious structure Rs 8 or Rs 9 per m² under 10 m.
Who gives permission for fireworks at a temple festival?: The District Magistrate, on a Form LE-6 licence under the Explosives Rules 2008, applied for on Form AE-6. It lasts at most 1 month, keeps spectators 100 m away and needs 250 m from hospitals and schools; Kerala wants the application 2 months ahead.
What changed after the Puttingal temple fire?: Kerala's Police Headquarters issued Circular 10/2018: a single window at the District Magistrate, PESO authorisation for traditional fireworks, chlorate tests, organisers' risk assessments and reports every 15 days. The Rajya Sabha recorded more than 105 dead and 429 injured.
Can a temple light lamps and camphor inside?: NBCS 2026 bars open flame lighting in places of assembly except for ceremonies, which the fire authority may permit under restrictions. Ask in writing, keep lamps away from cloth and flowers, and keep extinguishers of the right type at hand.
Does a heritage temple have to add fire exits?: Not necessarily. NBCS 2026 Annex M lets the authority accept a performance-based design for a heritage building built before the first NBC, proved by engineering calculations or fire modelling, where new stairs would damage it.
Who is responsible if a stampede or fire happens at a shrine?: Inquiry commissions have blamed the managers as well as the State: the Sabarimala commission named the State, the Devaswom Board and the Electricity Board; the Mandhardev commission named the temple trust and the electricity company.

Keep reading

Fire NOCWhat a fire NOC is, who issues it and every state's regime.
Explosives Rules 2008LE-6 display licences as rewritten in 2024, shop rules and the Supreme Court orders.
Which buildings require a fire NOCHeight, area and use lines for all 36 states and UTs.
Fire NOC for banquet halls and pandalsPandals, shamianas and temporary structures for any function.
Fire NOC feesEvery published state fee schedule compared.
Fire NOC validityHow long a certificate lasts in each state.
Documents required for fire NOCState checklists and forms.
Fire NOC penaltiesWhat each state's law sets for running without fire compliance.

Words on this page, explained

Keep exploring

Fire NOC for other fuel, power and special buildings

Fire NOC: the steps

Sources

Each source was opened and read on the date shown. How Flamekite checks its sources

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