248 Thane Hospitals operating without Fire NOC, RTI finds

Thane: More than half of the hospitals and healthcare facilities in Thane are reportedly operating without a mandatory fire department no-objection certificate (NOC), according to information obtained through an RTI application. 

The RTI application was filed in December 2025 by social activist Mahesh More. It revealed that a significant number of hospitals are functioning without the required fire safety clearance. According to the findings, the fire department has been repeatedly granting extensions to hospitals to obtain the NOC, effectively allowing them to continue operations without full compliance.

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Speaking to Mumbai Mirror, More said, “The so-called compliance notice is a loophole for the hospitals to escape civic action. The law needs to be uniform for all. Instead of resorting to knee-jerk reactions following a tragedy, we should enforce the law to prevent fire tragedies in hospitals.”

“Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) should probe whether the fire department is turning a blind eye to the blatant violations for vested interests. I do not rule out corruption in this irregularity,” he added.

According to a report by Mumbai Mirror, out of 415 hospitals in Thane, as many as 248 do not have a fire NOC. The RTI data further showed that only 195 hospitals have received the certificate after meeting the 40 compliance requirements mandated under law. Since 2011, major hospital fires across India have claimed 144 lives, with non-compliance with safety norms frequently cited as a primary reason for casualties, and that is why this data is alarming.

Among the hospitals listed as lacking a fire NOC are Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital, which is run by the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), and Matoshree Gangubai Sambhaji Shinde Hospital, an extension centre of CSMH.

Thane's Chief Fire Officer (Additional Charge) Girish Zalke confirmed that around 200 hospitals in the city have been issued NOCs. As per procedure, when violations are identified, the fire department issues a notice directing the hospital to comply within three months. This notice also functions as a temporary NOC during that period.

Zalke stated that after a major fire tragedy in Kolkata in 2011, fire safety NOCs for hospitals were mandated by court orders. He added that some hospitals are housed in older or illegal structures that do not meet fire norms, and compliance notices are issued in such cases.

However, the Mumbai Mirror report noted that several hospitals operating without NOCs are not old structures but large multi-specialty facilities. An office-bearer of the Thane District Medical Practitioners’ Association said that fire safety norms are mandatory and that it is technically not permissible to operate without an NOC. Despite this, many hospitals continue functioning as the fire department reportedly grants them extensions.

Reacting to the findings, Swapnali Kadam, dean of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital, said that the hospital is in the process of obtaining the fire NOC and that this is part of ongoing renovation work.

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