NEW DELHI: In the wake of the devastating fire at a hotel in south Delhi's Malviya Nagar area that claimed 21 lives on Wednesday, the Delhi government has decided to officially withdraw its Bed and Breakfast policy and review all establishments operating under the scheme, Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra said.
The announcement comes after a massive fire ripped through the Flourish Stay B&B on Wednesday morning, leaving 21 people dead, including 11 foreign nationals, and several injured.
"We are going to officially withdraw the Bed and Breakfast scheme, and all establishments licensed under it will be checked," Mishra told PTI.
"Action would be taken against operators found violating the terms of the licence.
If any establishment registered under the scheme is found running more than six rooms, its licence will be cancelled," the minister said.
According to Mishra, Flourish Stay was granted a licence under the B&B scheme in 2024 in the Silver category for six rooms, with validity until 2027.
However, investigators said the hotel was allegedly operating nearly four times beyond its permitted strength and did not possess the mandatory fire safety clearance.
It was allegedly running around 25 rooms, including some in the basement, police sources said.
Explaining the role of the tourism department, Mishra said its responsibility is largely limited to granting and renewing licences and verifying compliance during inspections.
"The owners are required to submit guest records to the local police station every 15 days.
The tourism department does not have a role in the day-to-day functioning of these establishments," he said.
The decision to withdraw the policy comes despite the tourism department recently proposing a revamp of the scheme.
Last month, the department released a draft policy proposing several changes to the existing framework.
It introduced two categories â Gold and Silver â with classification based on factors such as room size, furnishings, sanitation standards, guest amenities and safety arrangements, a senior official said.
As of 2023, more than 2,200 rooms across 432 properties in the national capital had been registered under Delhi government's B&B scheme.
Urban planning expert Jagdish Mamgain said the city has witnessed a series of fatal incidents in recent months, raising concerns about enforcement and regulatory oversight.
"In the last one to one-and-a-half years, Delhi has witnessed several deaths due to fire incidents and building collapses.
The latest fire tragedy and the building collapse in Saidulajab point to a larger systemic issue that needs attention," he said.
Mamgain, a former chairman of the works committee of the erstwhile unified Municipal Corporation of Delhi, said the frequent incidents suggest gaps in monitoring and enforcement.
"There appears to be a flaw in the system that is directly affecting public safety.
The discussion should not be limited to whether the establishment had permission for six rooms or more," he said.
The more important question is how it continued to operate with a valid licence when commercial activities were allegedly being carried out from the basement, which is a violation of norms, he added.
The blaze tore through the hotel allegedly operating without a fire NOC in a congested bylane in Malviya Nagar, killing at least 21 people, including 10 Indians, nine African nationals, and two from Turkmenistan, officials said.
The fire started around 8.
30 am and quickly spread through the five-floor narrow building that had only one entry-exit point, permanently sealed windows and a sensor-operated main door, they said.
At least 58 people were rescued and rushed to hospitals where 21 were declared dead, they said.
