Gandhidham, Kutch · Logistics operator
Gandhidham Logistics Warehouse — ESFR Sprinkler System
A major logistics operator commissioning a new 12,000 sq.m high-bay warehouse in Gandhidham's Adipur logistics corridor required fire protection designed for Class III commodity storage at 10 metre rack height — with Fire NOC approval before cargo operations could begin. The facility sits within a cluster of port-linked warehouses serving Mundra-adjacent cargo flows, where insurers and port authorities increasingly require documented sprinkler performance and witnessed flow testing before covering stored goods. The client had a fixed 14-week construction window aligned with a confirmed tenant move-in date, leaving no margin for Fire NOC rejection and re-inspection delays. Rachna Fire & Safety was engaged at structural completion stage to deliver complete fire protection EPC — from commodity classification and hydraulic design through installation, commissioning, witnessed testing, and NOC documentation submission to the Gandhidham fire authority.
Systems Installed
- •ESFR sprinkler system
- •Fire hydrant ring main
- •Diesel/electric pump house
- •Addressable fire alarm
Challenge
The client needed ESFR sprinkler coverage for high-rack Class III commodity storage at 10 metres — a configuration requiring Early Suppression Fast Response heads rather than standard spray sprinklers, with hydraulic calculations demonstrating adequate water supply for the higher discharge density ESFR heads demand. The design also required an integrated hydrant ring main for manual firefighting, addressable fire alarm with manual call points at all dock doors and office areas, and a dedicated pump house with electric main pump, diesel standby, and jockey pump serving both sprinkler and hydrant networks simultaneously.
Construction sequencing created additional pressure. Underground ring main piping had to be installed before floor slab casting in the storage area, while pump house civil works ran parallel with rack installation in later phases. Any delay in fire system design approval would block slab works and cascade into the overall construction programme. The client's previous experience with a neighbouring warehouse — where fire system retrofitting after construction cost nearly double the original budget — made them insist on first-time-right design and installation.
Insurer requirements added another layer. The cargo insurer specified minimum sprinkler design standards, documented hydraulic calculations, and witnessed flow test results before issuing warehouse coverage. Fire NOC from the Gandhidham fire authority and insurer sign-off had to align on the same commissioning test day to avoid duplicate testing costs and schedule delays.
Solution
Rachna Fire & Safety performed commodity classification confirming Class III storage profile, then developed hydraulic calculations for ESFR ceiling sprinklers at 10 metre storage height with k-factor 202 heads at design density per NFPA 13 and NBC requirements. We coordinated with the civil contractor on pump house dimensions (8 m × 5 m), underground tank capacity (450,000 litres dedicated fire water), and ring main routing beneath the warehouse floor slab before casting.
Installation proceeded in three phases: underground ring main and tank connection during civil works, pump house equipment installation during structural completion, and above-ground sprinkler mains, ESFR heads, and alarm system during fit-out. We installed 840 ESFR sprinkler heads, two alarm valve sets with flow switches connected to the addressable panel, hydrant ring main with four external pillars and internal landing valves, and addressable fire alarm with 24 manual call points and optical smoke detection in the office mezzanine.
Commissioning included full flow testing witnessed by the client, insurer surveyor, and Gandhidham fire authority representative on the same day. ESFR system flow test achieved design density at the hydraulically most remote area. Hydrant flow test at the remotest pillar maintained residual pressure above NBC minimum with electric and diesel pumps tested in auto-start sequence. All results documented in the NOC submission package submitted within five working days of successful testing.
Outcome
Fire NOC was obtained 11 weeks after Rachna Fire & Safety engagement — three weeks before the client's tenant move-in deadline. Cargo operations commenced with valid Fire NOC, insurer coverage, and fully commissioned fire protection systems. The client avoided the costly retrofitting experience they had witnessed at a neighbouring facility.
The client enrolled in Rachna Fire & Safety's comprehensive AMC covering quarterly alarm tests, annual sprinkler inspection with obstruction check, monthly diesel pump exercise under load, and extinguisher servicing. Two years post-commissioning, the facility has maintained continuous Fire NOC validity with zero compliance findings during renewal inspection.
The project has become a reference for ESFR warehouse design in the Gandhidham logistics corridor, with two subsequent warehouse operators in the same industrial estate engaging Rachna Fire & Safety based on the client's recommendation and documented commissioning results.
Technical Details
Building area: 12,000 sq.m single-storey high-bay warehouse with 10 m rack storage. Commodity class: III (mixed consumer goods in cardboard and shrink-wrap packaging). Sprinkler type: ESFR upright k-factor 202 at 9.1 m ceiling height. Design density: 12.2 mm/min over 372 sq.m design area. Water supply: 450,000 litre underground tank, electric main pump 1800 LPM at 8 bar, diesel standby 1800 LPM at 8 bar, jockey pump 180 LPM.
Hydrant network: 150 mm underground ring main with four external hydrant pillars and two internal landing valves. Simultaneous demand: two hydrants plus sprinkler system per hydraulic calculation. Alarm: addressable panel with 2 loops, 24 MCPs, 16 smoke detectors in office mezzanine, flow switch and tamper switch supervision on both alarm valve sets.
Commissioning test results: ESFR flow test achieved 12.4 mm/min at remotest design area (exceeding 12.2 mm/min requirement). Hydrant residual pressure: 4.2 bar at remotest pillar during dual hydrant operation with sprinkler flow. Diesel auto-start: 18 seconds from simulated power failure. All test results witnessed and signed by Gandhidham fire authority inspector and insurer surveyor.