Short answer. India publishes no general technical standard or certification for blast, fallout or air-raid shelters: under Rule 18 of the Civil Defence Rules, 1968, requirements are set in each government order 1. The only national shelter design criteria found are for multipurpose cyclone shelters: located preferably about 1.5 km from the coast, with the floor at least 0.5 m above the maximum surge level 2.
Is there an Indian standard for air-raid or fallout shelters?
No general standard was found 1. Rule 18 lets the central or state government order the owner of a premises to build an air-raid shelter, "in accordance with such requirement as to lay-out, materials and construction as may be specified in the order" 1. The technical requirements therefore live in each order, not in a published national code.
In practice, this means:
- There is no Indian certification or rating for a private shelter's blast or fallout protection.
- There is no national protection-factor threshold to design to.
- A private project relies on the engineer's choice of references.
For the concepts used elsewhere to rate shelters, see protection factor and safe room standards. These are not Indian requirements.
What are the national criteria for cyclone shelters?
NDMA's civil defence handbook (2012) sets out criteria for multipurpose cyclone shelters, citing the NDM Guidelines for Cyclone Management, 2008 2:
| Criterion | Value |
|---|---|
| Location | Preferably about 1.5 km from the coast 2 |
| Plinth height | 1.5 m 2 |
| Stilts | 2.5 to 4.5 m where the surge is 1.5 to 4.5 m 2 |
| Floor level | At least 0.5 m above the maximum surge level 2 |
These buildings are designed to shelter people, and sometimes cattle, during cyclones, and serve as community facilities all year 2. More on their use: public shelters in India.
Do these criteria apply to a private shelter?
The cyclone criteria describe public multipurpose buildings in coastal districts 2. They are not a standard for private underground or blast shelters, and they do not address radiation or blast. They can still be a useful reference if your concern is storm surge in a coastal area; discuss them with your engineer. See also hurricane and cyclone preparedness and flood preparedness.
Phaenyx does not give structural instructions. Any shelter design must come from a qualified engineer. Local rules and next steps: build a shelter in India.
Frequently asked questions
Does India certify private fallout shelters?
No general certification or standard was found; Rule 18 orders set requirements case by case 1.
How far from the coast should a cyclone shelter be?
Preferably about 1.5 km, according to the national criteria cited in NDMA's handbook 2.
How high must a cyclone shelter's floor be?
At least 0.5 m above the maximum surge level 2.
Who sets the requirements for an air-raid shelter ordered under Rule 18?
The central or state government making the order, which specifies layout, materials and construction 1.
Sources
- Directorate of Civil Defence, Government of Assam (copy of central Act and Rules) — The Civil Defence Act, 1968 (No. 27 of 1968) and The Civil Defence Rules 1968 (rule 18, Air raid shelters) — https://dgcd.assam.gov.in/sites/default/files/swf_utility_folder/departments/cdhg_webcomindia_org_oid_5/menu/document/act_%26_rule_of_cd.pdf (accessed 2026-10-20)
- National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) — Prepared Communities, Secured Country, Part II (April 2012), Section 13 (Multipurpose Cyclone Shelters, citing NDM Guidelines for Cyclone Management, 2008) — http://ndma.gov.in/images/guidelines/ndmacivildefencepart-2.pdf (accessed 2026-10-20; checked on archived copy https://web.archive.org/web/2020/http://ndma.gov.in/images/guidelines/ndmacivildefencepart-2.pdf)
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Sources
- Directorate of Civil Defence, Government of Assam (copy of central Act and Rules) · The Civil Defence Act, 1968 (No. 27 of 1968) and The Civil Defence Rules 1968 (rule 18, Air raid shelters) checked 2026-10-20
- National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) · Prepared Communities, Secured Country: Handbook for Training and Capacity Building of Civil Defence & Sister Organizations, Part II (April 2012), Section 13 (Multipurpose Cyclone Shelters, citing NDM Guidelines for Cyclone Management, 2008) checked 2026-10-20