Thane civic body seals 13 hotels and bars that aren’t fire-ready

The corporation has claimed that the remaining hotels, pubs and bars without fire NOCs in the city will be sealed in the next three days.

The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) on Sunday sealed 13 of 83 hotels and bars that did not have a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the fire department.

Following the fire at Kamala Mills compound in December last year, the issue of hotel owners violating fire safety norms had come to the fore. (HT file photo)

The corporation has claimed that the remaining hotels, pubs and bars without fire NOCs in the city will be sealed in the next three days.

Around 426 hotels, bars and pubs had submitted applications for fire NOCs with the fire department. Out of these, 80 hotels complied with all the conditions of the fire and town planning department. 86 hotels did not comply with most of the safety measures.

Sandeep Malvi, Public Relations Officer, TMC, said, “In a meeting held on Saturday evening, the commissioner had asked the officers to seal these 86 hotels in three days. Accordingly, we have sealed 13 hotels on Sunday. The remaining hotels will also be sealed in next three days.”

“The list also includes hotels from the Kothari Compound. The documents of 260 hotels are still pending with the town planning department for verification,” said Malvi.

Following the fire at Kamala Mill compound in December last year, the issue of hotel owners violating fire safety norms had come to the fore.

The Kothari compound in Thane also has many such illegal bars and lounges.

The corporation had earlier razed 35 hotels while 12 hotels were sealed.

This lead to all the hotels in the city to submit applications to seek fire NOCs with the fire department.

After getting the fire NOCs, these establishments also need to get clearances with respect to structural stability, change of user and amalgamation.

Illegal establishments will have to pay compounding charges to regularise them.

“The hotels that have been sealed include Hotel Titanic (Kalwa), Everyday Anday (Naupada), Ammuno (Kothari Compound), 70 degrees (Kothari Compound), Rainbow Bar (Balkum Junction), X Zone (Waghbil), Golden Fast Food (Kopri), Hadiya (Mumbra), Kausar (Mumbra), Devidarshan (Raghunath Nagar), Fukrey (Flower Valley), among others,” said Malvi.