advertisement
The day that 14 people lost their lives due to a fire at a Mumbai pub, it was discovered that only 400 of the 5,000 restaurants, pubs and bars in the national capital have the required fire safety clearance.
Several eateries and bars were found to be flouting safety norms, as The Times of India reported.
Since there is rarely a physical spot check at the establishments, the restaurateurs can get away with gross violations, as fire officers pointed out.
Senior municipal corporations officers confirmed that most of the 4,528 licenses they issued were to establishments claiming to seat 48-49 people.
Khan Market and Hauz Khas Village are two hazardous areas which have very few and narrow exits, old houses and weakened structures. Khan Market shops have a single three-feet-wide staircase for entry and exit, and market officials stated that only 35 eateries and pubs sought fire clearance, even though a Delhi High Court directive made it mandatory for civic authorities to take action against violators.
Khan Market Welfare Association head and owner of Big Chill Anshu Tondon dismissed chances of blazes like Mumbai.
Businesses are wary of increasing load of eateries on the old buildings.
Every three years, the no-objection certificate for fire safety is renewed post an audit, yet it was found that several restaurants in Hauz Khas Village were operating with expired certificates.
The head of the Greater Kailash I M Block Traders Association Rajinder Sharda alleged that there were around 15 eateries in the upmarket areas yet only three claimed over-50 seating and accordingly obtained the fire clearances.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)