| Primary value | 6 m |
| Applies to | All occupancies |
| Exceptions | Sprinklered buildings → Up to 15 m permitted |
| Industrial Occupancies (Group J) → Up to 9.0 m permitted | |
| Measured as | Length of corridor measured from the dead-end to the point where occupants have a choice of two travel directions. |
| Source | NBC 2016 — Part 4, Clause 4.7.2 ✓ Verified |
A dead-end corridor creates a potential trap during a fire. If the single path of egress is blocked by smoke or flames, occupants have no alternative escape route. NBC 2016 strictly limits this length to ensure that occupants can quickly recognize the dead-end and retreat to a point with multiple exit choices, minimizing their exposure time in a hazardous situation.
This is a critical check for all building plans, especially in residential (Group A) and commercial (Group E) buildings. While some international codes permit longer dead-ends in sprinklered buildings, NBC 2016 does not grant this specific relaxation, making the 6 m limit a strict compliance point in India.