9 CP eateries get notices for violating norms

NEW DELHI: The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) issued show-cause notice to nine restaurants situated at Connaught Place for violating the fire safety guidelines.

The move comes following a fire in a Mumbai pub on December 29 last year that claimed 14 lives, sparking off safety concerns at eateries and restaurants in the national capital.

Around 400 of them have an no objection certificate (NOC) from the Delhi Fire Service.

“We had conducted inspection of all restaurants in Connaught Place and identified nine of them which have been violating fire safety norms.

“Show-cause notices have been issued to the restaurants and they may lose their licence if the said guidelines are not strictly complied with,” a senior NDMC official said.

Refusing to reveal the names of the restaurants, the senior NDMC official, however, said “We are not making their names public at this stage, till we receive their replies.”

The municipal corporation had last week warned traders’ associations in the area to ensure that restaurants operating in its area abide by trade licence conditions, fire safety norms and comply with the sitting capacity conditions or face cancellation of their permits and sealing of their premises.

“All the trade associations were requested to kindly impress upon their members (other restaurants operating in respective areas) to strictly abide by the trade license conditions. There should not be any laxity on the fire safety measures and the sitting capacity as sanctioned for each restaurant is strictly complied with,” the official said.

The two major markets in the NDMC area that are flooded with restaurants include Khan Market and Connaught Place.

According to the guidelines of eateries,  a seating capacity of less than 50 does not need an NOC from the city police and the fire departments.