Delhi govt issues new SOP for cinema hall licences

The government has notified a new standard operating procedure (SOP) to streamline issuance, renewal, and inspection of the permit required

The government has notified a new standard operating procedure (SOP) to streamline issuance, renewal, and inspection of the permit required to run cinema halls and multiplexes in the national capital, officials said on Monday.

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Chief minister Rekha Gupta said the new SOP would eliminate delays and improve coordination among departments by providing applicants with a technology-driven and clearly defined licensing process. The SOP, finalised in 2015, was not implemented by the previous government, she alleged.

According to officials, the new arrangement replaces the earlier system governed by Delhi Police Standing Orders, under which applicants were required to secure separate NOCs from agencies including the police, fire department, municipal corporation, Delhi Jal Board, electricity distribution companies and health department.

Under the new framework, the final licensing decision will be taken by a District Licensing Committee (DLC), which will comprise officials from all departments.

Constituted under the district administration of the revenue department, the panel will be headed by deputy commissioner (revenue) or district magistrate and will include senior officers from the police, fire department, municipal corporation or DDA engineering wings, DJB, District Medical Office and other concerned departments.

A second body, the District Inspection Committee (DIC), will conduct joint inspections of cinema halls. Headed by the SDM, the committee will comprise representatives of relevant departments and prepare a single, integrated verification report. The report will be e-signed, geotagged and uploaded to the e-District portal, replacing multiple departmental NOCs.

The government has also prescribed timelines at every stage -- initial scrutiny of an application must be completed within seven working days, while the DIC is required to conduct an inspection within 45 days. The DLC will have 30 days to take a decision after receiving the inspection report, officials said.

In cases where the DLC fails to decide within the stipulated period, the licence will be automatically generated through the portal if the DIC has certified full compliance, officials said. This automatic provision will not apply where mandatory safety or statutory standards have not been met.

The entire process -- from application and fee payment to inspection, decision and issuance of the licence in Form B -- will be carried out online through the e-District Delhi portal.

Further, cinema halls will undergo annual joint inspections, surprise inspections and two mock drills every year involving the police, Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) and cinema management.

The SOP also introduces a portal-based grievance redressal mechanism, with district-level nodal officers and escalation of serious or systemic cases to the divisional commissioner. Under the new system, the police will no longer have the authority to issue cinematograph licences.

CM Gupta said the SOP is part of the government’s efforts to comply with Supreme Court’s directions related to the Uphaar Cinema tragedy and strengthen citizen-centric governance while keeping public safety as the highest priority.

The fire at Uphaar started in a transformer in the basement and quickly spread to parked vehicles, engulfing the building in thick smoke. More than 150 people on the first and second floors of the cinema hall were trapped, and 59 of them died.