MCD orders inspection of hotels, restaurants after Goa club blaze

In the wake of the recent Goa nightclub fire tragedy that claimed 25 lives, the Standing Committee of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on Tuesday directed officials to conduct a comprehensive inspection of all hotels, restaurants and bars across the national capital to ensure strict compliance with fire safety norms and licensing rules.

The meeting, chaired by Standing Committee chairperson Satya Sharma, saw detailed discussions on fire safety, civic amenities, sanitation, park maintenance, staff shortage, stray animal issues and air pollution. Calling the Goa fire incident a wake-up call, Sharma said no negligence in licensing and fire preparedness would be tolerated in Delhi.

Sharma instructed officials to submit a zone-wise and ward-wise list of all hospitality establishments in the city, along with details of opening permissions and seating capacity, within five days.

“Strict and immediate action will be taken against any establishment found operating without permission or violating safety rules,” Sharma said.

The Standing Committee also passed a condolence resolution expressing grief over the lives lost in the Goa incident.

Meanwhile, parallel directives were issued at the government level as well. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has instructed the Delhi Fire Service (DFS) to make the process of issuing fire NOC transparent and seamless to avoid ambiguity and unnecessary delays for business owners. She said the purpose of fire NOCs was not to hinder business activity but to safeguard public life.

Gupta chaired a high-level review meeting at the Delhi Secretariat with Urban Development Minister Ashish Sood, Chief Secretary Rajeev Verma and senior officials of the Delhi Fire Service and Law Department. She emphasised that the licensing system must not force business owners to make repeated visits to offices, and that any rule creating genuine difficulty should immediately be brought to the government’s notice for correction.

“The Government’s goal is to make Delhi’s firefighting systems modern, efficient and trusted,” Gupta said, adding that departmental procedures are being simplified in line with the Centre’s ‘Ease of Doing Business’ reforms under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She also asked officials to ensure that resource limitations do not obstruct reforms, stating that the Fire Department would be equipped with modern tools and technologies wherever required.

Reflecting on the Goa tragedy, the Chief Minister said Delhi cannot afford to be complacent. “Regular inspections of large events, hotels, restaurants and clubs are essential to prevent such accidents,” she warned.

She said establishments lacking fire safety equipment or flouting prescribed norms must face action under the rules and added that fire safety is a shared responsibility of both the government and establishment owners.

She directed the Chief Secretary and departmental officers to review existing guidelines and draft new rules if required, ensuring that Delhi’s firefighting system becomes swift, transparent and reliable.