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Issuing licences to restaurants to get tougher

The move comes days after the incidents of collapse of two portions of buildings in Connaught Place. Following the collapse, the civic body had sealed 21 rooftop resto-bars.

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File photo of Connaught Place
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The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) is all set to come up with a new and tougher policy for issuing and renewal of licences to restaurants, pubs, cafes and eateries in the Lutyen's Zone.

The move comes days after the incidents of collapse of two portions of buildings in Connaught Place. Following the collapse, the civic body had sealed 21 rooftop resto-bars.

Unlike before, restaurant owners will now have to take NOCs from four departments including chief architect (of the Council), estate, fire and tax.

The chief architect's department will check the place for its 'structural stability', which was not the norm before.

"The norms of the policy are still under consideration. One of the important changes will be the clearance from the architecture department to check the stability of the structure," said a senior official.

According to officials, after 2007, it will be the first time that the clause of 'structural stability' has been added under the issuance of health license.

"Until 2007 the clause used to be there with the health department, but it was later removed. It is only now after the roof collapse that the clause has been added again to make sure there are no lapses," the official said.

According to sources, the license fee and tax rates too may see a hike besides implementation of user charges.

The Council is going to meet over the issue on Thursday.

The civic body had got 107 fresh applications for issue and renewal of licenses, which are pending approval till the framing of the new policy.

Playing cautious, the civic body had last month rejected the applications of 24 restaurant owners for not having clearances of fire and structural stability.

The two incidents that occurred in Connaught Place in February this year included the roof and wall above Jain Book agency where construction for a new pub was going on and the roof of a popular resto-bar, the Unplugged Courtyard.

As per the NDMC Act, it does not allow the use of terrace/balconies for any kind of commercial activity.

However, between 2013 and 2017, the civic body's health department had issued licenses to around 45 resto-bars that came up on the first and second floors of these buildings.

Of these, 35 had been using the rooftops as well as running as open-air dining spaces serving food and playing loud music.

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