South Delhi guest houses granted protection till December 2020

The Delhi Laws (Special Provision) Second Amendment Act, 2017, protects construction in areas such as unauthorised-regularised colonies, unauthorised colonies and villages from punitive action.

The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) on Friday extended the protection policy, provided under the Delhi Laws (Special Provision) Act, to guest houses, restaurants and other health trades in areas under its jurisdiction till December, 2020.

The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) on Friday extended the protection policy, provided under the Delhi Laws (Special Provision) Act, to guest houses, restaurants and other health trades in areas under its jurisdiction till December, 2020. (Photo by Arun Sharma/Hindustan Times) (Arun Sharma/HT PHOTO)

The Delhi Laws (Special Provision) Second Amendment Act, 2017, protects construction in areas such as unauthorised-regularised colonies, unauthorised colonies and villages from punitive action. The protection has now been extended to guest houses, restaurants and health trades operating from such areas.

“They were earlier issued temporary special permits up to December 31, 2017, in order to regulate establishments to ensure hygienic standards in the interest of the health of the public. Now, it has been extended up to December 31, 2020,” said a senior officer.

Inderjit Sehrawat, BJP councilor from Mahipalpur, in the standing committee meeting on February 21 had said, “The protection order comes days after the Najafgarh zone of the SDMC issued closure notices to about 70 guest houses in Mahipalpur. The file to extend protection to them beyond 2017 has been pending with the department fpr months but there has been no movement. Hotel owners are getting sealing notices now and are panicking. Mahipalpur hotels are close to the Delhi Airport and many fliers and people coming to Delhi from Mumbai or Gujarat using NH8 prefer hotels in Mahipalpur over those in central or New Delhi,” Sehrawat said.

Shikha Rai, SDMC standing committee chairperson
said, “Mahipalpur hotels now will have interim protection till 2020.”

A municipal health officer said that SDMC hurriedly gave interim protection while they were yet to complete inspection of all guest houses, especially the kitchens. “We were delaying permits to them in view of the fire incident in north Delhi’s Hotel Arpit Palace. We must conduct our safety checks.”

The chairperson, however, said, “Inspection of kitchens can still be carried out. The protection provided to them is not an impediment in the process.”

South Delhi has about 388 guesthouses, besides about 2,000 eateries that include restaurants, dhabas and take away joints. There are about 1,000 storage and sale centres, 100 banquet halls and 24 five-star hotels and 26 motels.