Bureau of Indian Standards Withdraws 2025 Earthquake Code After Cabinet Advisory
In a significant development, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), operating under the Department of Consumer Affairs, has officially withdrawn its November 2025 Gazette notification. This notification had revised India's earthquake-resistant design standards, specifically the seventh revision of IS 1893 (Part 1): 2025, which included an updated seismic zonation map for the country.
Union Cabinet Secretariat Intervention Leads to Withdrawal
The withdrawal follows direct advice from the Union cabinet secretariat issued on Tuesday. The cabinet's advisory explicitly stated that the "department of consumer affairs is hereby advised to withdraw the gazette notification... All necessary consultations with stakeholders... may be held and completed in the first instance, before any further steps are taken to revise IS 1893."
As a direct result of this intervention, the 2025 notification stands withdrawn with immediate effect. Consequently, the previous standard, IS 1893 (Part 1): 2016, remains valid and applicable for designers, developers, and construction professionals across India.
Gujarat Real Estate Sector Expresses Relief
The real estate sector across Gujarat has collectively breathed a sigh of relief following Tuesday's withdrawal announcement. The original BIS notification, when first issued in November 2025, had elevated several major Gujarati cities—including Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, and Rajkot—to Seismic Zone 4. This reclassification mandated stricter ductile detailing and more rigorous earthquake-resistant design requirements for all new construction projects.
While most civic bodies observed a transition period, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) took a stricter approach. Through a circular issued on January 19, the AMC mandated immediate compliance with BIS's revised 'Design Earthquake Hazard and Criteria for Earthquake-Resistant Design Structures - Code of Practice', refusing to approve building plans under the older BIS codes.
Project Delays and Cost Concerns Prompted Review
This abrupt implementation created substantial challenges for developers, who argued that switching standards mid-stream for projects in advanced planning stages was "technically unfeasible" and would spike construction costs by approximately 20%. The issue had effectively stalled around 15 major high-rise projects within Ahmedabad alone, creating uncertainty across the region's construction industry.
The Union cabinet secretariat's intervention came after a February 2026 warning from the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). MoHUA had raised significant "technical and financial concerns" regarding the IS 1893:2025 code, highlighting its potential disruptive impact.
Metro Projects and Financial Implications Cited
The cabinet's office memorandum provided detailed reasoning for the withdrawal, noting that the revision "materially affects the design and execution of ongoing and future infrastructure projects including that of metro rail projects." It further elaborated that the financial implications for ongoing metro works could range from 30% to 50% across metro cities and criticized the code for being "introduced without structured consultation with metro rail corporations."
Industry Leaders Welcome the Decision
Rajesh Vaswani, Chairman of CREDAI Ahmedabad, hailed the withdrawal as a positive development. "The decision to withdraw the notification is a welcome step because the new codes were prepared without consultation with stakeholders. Also, the sudden implementation created issues for structural engineers as well. The new codes, if implemented, could increase construction costs by 20%," Vaswani stated, echoing the broader sentiment within Gujarat's real estate community.
The withdrawal ensures continuity with the 2016 standards while allowing for proper stakeholder consultation before any future revisions to India's critical earthquake-resistant design codes.
