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After fire gutted terrace hotel, PMC issues notices to 3 restaurants, orders survey of other rooftop eateries
After blaze gutted a terrace restaurant in Aundh in the morning hours on Wednesday, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Thursday served notices to three restaurants and bars in the central part of the city
After blaze gutted a terrace restaurant in Aundh in the morning hours on Wednesday, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Thursday served notices to three restaurants and bars in the central part of the city. The civic body also indicated that most of the rooftop restaurants are likely to be unauthorised.
“Today, we served notices to three restaurants in the city -Sabaros, SB road, 360 Degrees, Deccan and Barbeque Nation at Deccan for unauthorised structures. When the restaurants cover the terrace or construct something, it is illegal. If the terrace of the building is supposed to be an open terrace, then it should be maintained as such,” said Bipin Shinde, executive engineer, permission department, PMC.
In light of the incident on Wednesday, the PMC has decided to tighten scrutiny of rooftop hotels by checking permissions from fire brigade and building permission department
Prashant Waghmare, city engineer said, “We are conducting a drive across the city to check whether the rooftop restaurants have NOCs for fire norms, enough parking , and if they have done any additional construction then it will be illegal. The rule states that hotel can be built anywhere in the building provided it complies with all the norms. Some terraces which are partly inside can be also used as hotels provided, they keep the open space empty and not use it for tables and chairs.”
Although there was no casualty in fire incident on Wednesday, most of the furniture was destroyed in the incident. Following the fire tragedy, a team of fire brigade visited the spot and found that the rooftop restaurant did not have a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the PMC’s fire brigade.
According to PMC chief fire brigade (acting) officer Sunil Gilbile, the restaurant where fire broke out did not have operational firefighting system in place. “This restaurant was on lease from Nana Gaikwad who owns the commercial property in Aundh and although they have the firefighting system, it was not operational. Also, there was no NOC from the fire brigade for this terrace restaurant,” said Gilbile.
The move has now prompted PMC to check its own records and also verify with other rooftop restaurants in the city whether they have various NOCs and permissions.
Rajendra Binwade, PMC additional commissioner said, “This matter is being discussed and the civic body has now asked fire brigade and other departments to conduct survey of such restaurants.”
According to Binwade, action will be taken against those found without NOCs or other violations. “If we find any violations of building permission, then it will be treated as unauthorised construction and will be removed,” said Binwade.
In last few years, city has grown exponentially in terms of global cuisine and speciality restaurant and bars, in areas like Aundh, Baner and Balewadi, besides Koregaon Park, Kalyaninagar and Kharadi.
According to National Restaurant Association of India Pune chapter president Praful Chandavarkar, “We have more than 6,000 restaurants and bars of all kinds, registered with the association and no restaurant in Pune can operate until it has got an NOC from the fire brigade and has all their papers intact.”
There is a proper procedure to be followed by any person who wants to open a restaurant or bar. According to Ganesh Shetty, president, hoteliers’ association of Pune, “A restaurant can be opened on any floor of the commercial building provided it has the required FSI and has clear notifications and permissions to open such an eatery. It can be in the open basement, or top floor but has to have all the necessary safety precautions like firefighting equipment in working condition, lift, staircase for quick getaway, clear fire exits etc. this is all mentioned in the PMC’s rules in the building department.”
Kunal Maske, owner of some of the restaurants in the city as well as that of a top floor lounge bar said, “We are in a commercial space for the past ten years and have audits done of the fire norms every year, where we renew the NOC. We have the proper permissions in place complete with NOCs from fire, traffic, police excise and the local authority. Though in such cases technically, the onus of maintaining the property lies with both the building or commercial property owner and not just the bar/ restaurant owner.”
