74 premises inspected, 24 found flouting norms, 5 to be closed

The inspections come in the wake of the deadly fire at a Goa club on December 6, which killed 25 people and injured 50.

The Delhi Fire Services (DFS) has issued closure notices to five establishments and found 24 units violating safety norms during a week-long inspection drive across restaurants, hotels, and clubs in which 74 units were inspected, Delhi home minister Ashish Sood said on Thursday.

Representative photo (HT photo)

The inspections come in the wake of the deadly fire at a Goa club on December 6, which killed 25 people and injured 50.

The minister said that the Delhi Fire Service is conducting a comprehensive fire safety inspection drive in restaurants, hotels and clubs across the city. “During the inspections, all fire prevention and safety arrangements are being thoroughly examined. This includes checking the functionality of firefighting equipment, availability and accessibility of emergency exits, and compliance with building by-laws,” he said.

“Directions have been issued to close five premises due to serious violations,” he added.

A government official said that with increased festive and New Year gatherings, adherence to fire safety norms is critical.

“This action is not punitive in nature, but preventive and in the larger public interest,” he said, appealing to business owners to regularly check safety systems and train staff.

Meanwhile, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has directed its public health department to conduct a parallel drive, planning to inspect 1,834 premises. The highest number of checks in this drive will be in the South Zone (452 units), followed by Najafgarh (282 units) and in West Zone (222 units), officials said.