IIT Tirupati, Aadit Fire Testing Lab sign MoU

Tirupati: The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Tirupati and Aadit Fire Testing Laboratory on Wednesday marked an important step towards strengthening fire safety in India’s rapidly growing cities. As the country moves towards Viksit Bharat and urban skylines become taller and denser, fire safety in high-rise buildings has emerged as a serious national concern.

Conventional firefighting methods often struggle to reach fires at higher floors in time, allowing flames and smoke to spread internally. Recognising this challenge, experts are now stressing the need to make buildings inherently safer through fire-resistant design and proper fire compartmentalisation right from the construction stage.

Under the MoU, Aadit Fire Testing Laboratory will act as IIT Tirupati’s partner laboratory, offering access to its advanced fire testing infrastructure. IIT Tirupati will contribute academic and technical expertise to study how fire affects structural systems, including steel and reinforced concrete. Director Prof KN Satyanarayana said the collaboration aims to generate practical research that can help improve building codes, material standards, and fire-resilient design practices across India.

Director of Aadit Fire Testing Laboratory P Jothi Ramalingam Ponnusamy noted that in modern high-rise buildings, fires often escalate internally before external firefighting becomes effective, making structural fire resistance vital.

Aadit is accredited by NABL and IAS and follows major international fire testing standards.IIT Tirupati, an Institute of National Importance, brings strong research capability to the partnership. Together, the two institutions aim to bridge research and real-world application, contributing to safer urban development in the country.