NEW DELHI: In a relief to hotel and guest house owners at Paharganj, Karol Bagh and Chandni Chowk, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has issued a notification seeking exemption of revised fire safety regulations for ‘special areas’.
In a notification, Minister for Home and Urban Development Satyendar Jain directed officials in his department to exempt hotel owners from the revised fire rules.
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“The urban development department may issue a clarification that in respect of those buildings covered under the Delhi Special Provisions Act, fire department may not insist for demolition of the 4th floor,” read the notification.
The Delhi Hotel Mahasangh welcomed the move.
“It will bring us some much-needed respite. We had no option but to shut shop and take to the streets to protest. However, hotel owners in Karol Bagh, Paharganj and Chandni Chowk will make all necessary changes as are mentioned in the order,” Arun Gupta, president, Delhi Hotel Mahasangh, said.
The notification says the NOC will only be granted only on the condition that any floor above the third is sealed off by a wall.
The fire department had issued notices for sealing 50 hotels for falling foul of the revised fire safety regulations.