E-Paper
Several Chandigarh hotels operating without fire safety certificates, reveal RTI papers
Following his RTI reply revealing that hotels in Chandigarh’s Sector 42, 43, 52 and others are operating without fire safety certificates Sidhu wrote to the UT adviser to issue take necessary steps
The reply to an RTI application revealed that several hotels, guest houses, motels and restaurants are operating in Sector 43, Attawa village, Sector 42, Burail village, Sector 45, Kajheri village, Sector 52 and Daria village near railway station without the mandatory fire safety certificates
Only one hotel, KLG Hotels Private Limited, Sector 43, has the mandatory permissions.
The information was accessed from the municipal corporation (MC) by ArriveSAFE president Harman Singh Sidhu..
Speaking of the same, Sidhu said, “The owners cut corners to maximise profit and use highly combustible materials like polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and due to the mercury levels rising, chances of fire accidents increase exponentially. A fire brigade vehicle cannot reach many such locations due to poor access and encroachments.”
He added that even a minor incident like a short circuit in one of these can cause a chain reaction leading to loss of valuable human lives in the area. Three girls lost their lives in a fire tragedy at a paying guest accommodation in February 2022, but no lesson has been learnt.
Sidhu added, “As the MC turns a blind eye to these violations, visitors book these hotels through online portals risking their lives and staying in these tinder boxes.”
He has written to the UT adviser Dharam Pal to issue necessary directions to take quick and strictest possible action to prevent any untoward incident.
“While the MC contemplates adopting the Delhi Fire Service Act, 2007 and formulating rules under it, the violations continue unabated,” Sidhu wrote in his letter to the UT adviser.
