Chandigarh: All three CITCO hotels running without fire safety certificate

Tribune News Service

Dushyant Singh Pundir

Chandigarh, April 3

For the past several years, the Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Development Corporation’s (CITCO) Hotel Mountview, Sector 10; Hotel Shivalikview, Sector 17; and Hotel Parkview, Sector 24, have been operating without fire safety certificate.

In a letter, CITCO officials stated that the case for issue of Fire Safety Certificate was taken up in 2021 with the Fire Department of the Municipal Corporation (MC). Officials of the MC department visited the premises of Hotel Parkview and listed a number of discrepancies. The main issue raised by the department was to provide complete firefighting system in the entire building as per the National Building Code (NBC)-2016. In order to pursue the matter further, frequent visits were also made and discussions held regarding provision of low-side firefighting system with the Fire Department but the authority concerned clearly directed to put in place the system of firefighting as per NBC-2016 and apply for an NOC.

The officials further stated that the provision of complete firefighting system as per the NBC-2016 is a specialised work, therefore, the case for the appointment of firefighting consultant is under process and after the appointment of consultant, further action to provide the firefighting system would be taken up.

The officials further submitted that the Old-Block of Hotel Parkview was constructed in 1984 and the Ground Floor of New Block was built in 1996. The rest of three floors were constructed in 2008 whereas NBC-2016 is applicable for buildings which are constructed after 2016 (as per the approved zoning plans prevailing at that time by the Department of Urban Planning, Chandigarh Administration). Thus, any regulations, rules, requirements or stipulations cannot be applied to the old building with retrospective effect.

At present, automatic fire alarm system provided in the entire building of Hotel Parkview is in a working condition. Fire extinguishers are also installed.

In view of position explained, the official requested that the matter may kindly be taken up with the higher authorities for issue of provisional NOC from the Fire Department. It also requested that legal opinion may also be obtained from the Law Officer regarding the applicability of NBC-2016 on Old Buildings.

Further, as per the directions of CGM, the case for issue of provisional NOC’s in respect of units may be taken by the respective HOD’s of Units on priority. The cases for issue of provisional NOC’s of Hotel Mountview and Hotel Shivalikview have already been dealt with and request letters issued to the office of Chief Engineer, UT, and Station Fire Officer concerned of the MC.

A senior officer of CITCO said they had already removed the discrepancies pointed out the Fire Department and already applied for the provisional NOC. They are hopeful of getting it soon.

Meanwhile, a senior MC officer said there was no provision of providing an provisional NOC. Also, as per the norms, the UT Excise and Taxation Department cannot issue a bar licence to a hotel or restaurant without getting the fire safety certificate.

Norms for running bars

Sources said the CITCO hotels had been obtaining bar licences for the past many years by submitting an undertaking with the Excise Department that they have applied for the fire NOC. As per the norms, the department cannot issue a bar licence to a hotel or restaurant that doesn’t have the fire safety certificate.

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