Developers are following norms that can minimise the degree of damage to a project in case of any untoward incident.

Chennai is not a city that is always associated with natural disasters. But the city is not oblivious to unforeseen events either. Be it the tsunami in 2004 or the floods that caused havoc last year, the city has had its share and has emerged stronger each time. Despite following the guidelines issued by the PWD and the National Builders Code, in times like these, spread quite a lot of panic in the city.

Developers are also working towards upgrading safety measures to make sure that the residents living in their projects remain insulated from disasters to the best possible extent. Buildings in the city are continuously being designed to withstand such incidents.Developers are focusing on three kinds of mishaps while planning their projects fire, earthquake and water. “According to the National Builders Code, every multi-storeyed building must have fire-related escape measures while designing the building. In Tamil Nadu, these rules are strongly enforced and followed. Buildings here have separate fire escapes with minimum two stairways allocated for fire escape. Every floor has wet risers that can work without electricity. There are separate sumps to store water for the riser,” explains R Kumar, MD, Navins. As part of the code, balconies should not have grills, as they serve as fire terrace during a fire accident.

Places like malls, offices and shopping avenues have also seen untoward incidents in the past and keeping this in mind, developers are making efforts to ensure the safety of commercial spaces too. “Installing smoke detectors and mounting automatic sprinklers in every room are a few steps they are taking. Only if these measures are taken does a building get a clearance certificate from the fire department,” adds Kumar.

Previously classified under Zone II on the seismic zone, Chennai now stands in Zone III, classifying it as a city that is less prone to earthquakes. Nevertheless, buildings in Chennai are prepared to withstand the slightest of tremors. Structures incorporate earthquake protection measures and are designed to be earthquake resistant.

“Structural engineers help developers with designs based on the seismic zone. When the foundation is laid, a shock absorber is placed above it to protect the residents of the building from sensing any tremors. Structures are also made using sheer walls, also known as reinforced walls, which are concrete walls using steel bars. A cross bracing concept is incorporated to hold the four corners of a room like a rubber-band, reducing impact of a quake,” says Pooja Jain, partner and architect of Atikramya Builders and Architects.

While it may be difficult to determine the magnitude of a water related calamity, be it floods, tsunami or rains, Raj Cherubal from Chennai City Connect feels that the degree of damage can be reduced. “Some areas get flooded or witness water stagnation because they are planned in a low-lying area. Instead of raising the level of the ground using soil, big campuses can create a pattern based on the water flow in the area and arrange water outlets, letting the water to flow into retainers and store them,” he says.

There are ideas one can borrow from other countries as well. Cherubal also suggests, “Like in the West, developers in Chennai too can build ponds and streams inside a project rather than blocking the water flow. Area and city planners need to get involved in the aspects related to planning and designing.”

While builders are working towards upgrading safety measures from project to project, it is important that residents also keep themselves updated about various safety measures to ensure that they get the best deal.

Dishya Sharma, Times Property, The Times of India, Chennai