Municipalities seal 40 illegal spas, massage parlours in Delhi

The action comes in the backdrop of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) raiding spas and massage parlours in south Delhi on September 5 and alleging that sex rackets were being run from here.

Delhi’s three municipalities sealed about 40 spas and massage parlours in the past one week in areas including Mahipalpur, Rajouri, Palam Extension, Rohini and Laxmi Nagar, for operating illegally, officials said Friday.

DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal and colleague Kiran Negi reportedly rescued nine girls from these spas, including a school-going girl. (HT file photo)

Officials said that these facilities were operating without a Health Trade License (HTL), which is issued by civic bodies and is necessary to run such a business. Some facilities that were sealed did not meet the minimum area (900 sq.ft.) and hygiene requirements to seek such a licence, they said, adding that sealing will continue and action is expected to be taken against another 60 such facilities.

The action comes in the backdrop of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) raiding spas and massage parlours in south Delhi on September 5 and alleging that sex rackets were being run from here. DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal and colleague Kiran Negi reportedly rescued nine girls from these spas, including a school-going girl. Used condoms were also found in dustbins of these centres, the DCW said. Maliwal had then issued summons to the Delhi Police and the three municipal corporations asking how licences were issued to these spas and massage parlours.

On Thursday, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) said it is hopeful that as the revised spa licence fee comes into force (₹60,000 from the earlier ₹24,000) shady businesses will close and only legitimate spas will operate.

“The new licence fee was approved by the SDMC House in June, but since software changes had to be made on our website, where applications are for operating spas, the new rate will now come into force. We are hopeful that only genuine and good quality spas will flourish after this,” a senior official said.

SDMC officials said that in the past one year, 117 facilities have shut shop after closure notices were sent to them. “There are several factors we check when we grant a licence. These include minimum area (900 square feet); hygiene, like ensuring that only freshly laundered towels are given to customers and clean massage beds, among others,” an officer said.

A north corporation official said the municipalities had formulated a ‘spa policy’ only in 2014 after they realized that this business was proliferating in Delhi. “In the past two years, all sorts of spas and massage parlours have mushroomed in the city and immoral activities also take place (in some of these establishments),” he said.