Delhi restro-bars, night clubs asked to submit fire safety certificates

The direction was issued in the light of the February fire at a hotel in central Delhi’s Karol Bagh, which claimed 17 lives, officials said.

The Delhi government has directed restro-bars and night clubs in the city with floor areas of 90 square metres or more to submit fire safety certificates to its excise department by September 30, senior officials said on Monday.

The Delhi government has directed restro-bars and night clubs in the city with floor areas of 90 square metres or more to submit fire safety certificates to its excise department by September 30.

They added that the government also warned them of “strict action” in case of non-compliance of the order, including cancellation of license.

The direction was issued in the light of the February fire at a hotel in central Delhi’s Karol Bagh, which claimed 17 lives, officials said.

The order mentioning the directions was issued by the Delhi government’s excise department on June 14 to the respective restro-bars and night clubs, irrespective of their seating capacity, senior officials said.

Under the Delhi Excise Rules, any establishment that serves alcohol for consumption in its premises with a seating capacity of 50 or more has to obtain a no objection certificate (NOC) from the fire department and submit it to the government.

However, those with guest capacities of less than 50 have to file an affidavit on fire safety, senior government officials said.

The direction, officials said, define the same guidelines in terms of floor area, irrespective of seating capacity, so that more restro-bars and night clubs are covered under the NOC ambit.