The West Bengal Fire Services Department has decided to frame strict standard operating procedures (SOPs) governing exit door maintenance for all hotels, lodges, and guesthouses across the state, following two successive hotel fire tragedies that together claimed 18 lives. The decision comes after blazes at a hotel in Tarapith, Birbhum district, and a second establishment on Mirza Ghalib Street in Central Kolkata, each killing nine people.

What Triggered the New Rules

Investigators identified inadequate exit options as the primary factor behind the high death toll in both incidents, according to a senior official from the West Bengal Fire Services Department. A preliminary blueprint of the new guidelines has already been prepared, and once finalised, adherence will be mandatory for all hospitality entities in the state, with regular inspections to verify compliance.

Key Provisions of the Draft SOP

The foremost requirement under the proposed framework is that exit doors must remain unlocked round the clock — with no exceptions — and all passages leading to them must be kept free of obstruction at all times. The draft further specifies that exit doors must be constructed of metal grill-gate structures to allow smoke to escape quickly during a fire. The use of inflammable materials such as wood, plywood, or board for exit doors will be expressly prohibited.

'At the same time, exit doors should be of metal-made grill-gate structures to ensure easy exhaustion of smoke emitted in case of fire. Under no circumstance should the exit doors be of inflammable items like wood, plywood or board,' the department official said.

Trained Staff and Emergency Signage Mandatory

The second major pillar of the SOP requires hotels, lodges, and guesthouses to install proper emergency exit signage and to employ trained personnel specifically tasked with evacuating guests to safety during emergencies. Additionally, hotel management will be required to brief every guest on fire safety dos and don'ts — including evacuation procedures — at the time of check-in.

'It will be mandatory for the hospitality entities to employ trained personnel to evacuate guests to a safe place in case of an emergency,' the official said, adding that the check-in briefing requirement is aimed at ensuring guests are not caught unaware.

Rooftop Access as an Evacuation Route

A notable addition to the draft SOP is the mandatory requirement that doors leading to the rooftops of hotel buildings also remain unlocked at all times and be constructed as metal grill-gate structures. Staircases leading to rooftops must similarly be kept free of any encroachment.

'This will ensure that in case of any fire emergency, the guests would be able to quickly move to the roofs and stay there safely till the time they are evacuated,' the official explained. This provision directly addresses a recurring challenge in dense urban hospitality clusters, where lateral escape routes are often limited.

What Happens Next

The blueprint is currently at a preliminary stage. Once the guidelines are formally notified, all hotels, lodges, and guesthouses in West Bengal will be legally obligated to comply, and the Fire Services Department will conduct regular checks to ensure the norms are followed. The twin tragedies at Tarapith and Central Kolkata have intensified pressure on the state government to enforce fire safety standards that critics argue have long been inadequately monitored in smaller lodges and pilgrim-town guesthouses.