Only 46 of 600 swimming pools granted NOC in Gautam Budh Nagar

NOIDA: Of the nearly 600 swimming pools located in high-rise residential societies across Noida, Greater Noida and Greater Noida West, only 46 have received the mandatory no objection certificate (NOC) from the Gautam Budh Nagar district sports department for complying with the stipulated operational and safety guidelines, officials said on Friday.

The department, overseeing the issuance and renewal of fitness certificates in the district, has given the rest one-week deadline to adhere to all regulations or face action including suspension of operations.

Pools cannot operate without securing a valid annual NOC issued following inspections, said district sports department officials.

“Only those pools which meet all safety, staffing, hygiene and operational standards are cleared. As of now, only 46 societies have complied and received fitness certificates. Around 400 had applied for the NOC. The others have been granted one week to meet the criteria,” said district sports officer Anita Nagar.

Among the mandatory norms, societies are required to appoint certified lifeguards and at least one female trainer to ensure safety and inclusivity. Additionally, CCTV surveillance with proper digital recording systems must be installed, and separate changing rooms for men and women are mandatory.

Officials said that site inspections of the swimming pools that were denied NOCs revealed multiple violations of the guidelines.

“Our teams conducted physical inspections across various high-rise societies and found that many swimming pools were violating essential safety and operational norms. Pools cannot function without certified lifeguards, proper cleanliness, and at least one qualified female trainer. These are non-negotiable aspects under our guidelines. We have given the non-compliant establishments a deadline of one week to address all shortcomings”, added the district sports officer.

Meanwhile, Nikhil Singhal, president of Noida HighRise Federation, said that with over 500 pools awaiting clearance, the NOC process has become unnecessarily cumbersome for residential societies, which are non-commercial in nature.