What rooftop restaurants? Gandhinagar officials clueless as unlicensed operations flourish
Updated: May 30th, 2024
The Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation (GMC) seems content to maintain the status quo when it comes to fire safety, despite the recent knuckle-cracking by the state High Court.
A quick internet search shows more than a dozen rooftop restaurants operating in areas under the GMC. Yet, officials in the estate, fire, and town-planning departments—the three bodies with the authority to oversee safety in public spaces—have no idea as to how many of these are even legal.
Those familiar with the issue say that no such units have been given fire safety certifications in the past three years.
In-charge fire officer KJ Gadhvi, who is filling in for Kaizad Dastur during the latter’s leave of absence, went on the backfoot when Gujarat Samachar pressed the issue. “The fire department has issued no-objection certificates (NOCs) to around 800 hotels, hospitals and other public spaces such as reading libraries. But the permission to run amenities such as rooftop restaurants comes from the town-planning department,” he said, passing the buck.
GMC’s town-planning officer, Perez Christian, was not available for comment despite multiple texts and attempted calls from Gujarat Samachar.
When asked if the GMC planned to monitor, inspect or regulate unlicensed rooftop restaurants, Hardik Tilwani, an estate department officer, also washed his hands of the issue. “Unlike in other municipal corporations, in Gandhinagar, the town-planning department gives such permissions,” he said.
Municipal Commissioner JN Vaghela assured Gujarat Samachar Digital that action would be taken against unsafe public buildings, but was non-committal when asked for details. “We have started to take action against such unsafe public places. Right now, we are focused on things like basements and game zones. But rooftop restaurants have come to our notice. We will do a crackdown on such restaurants soon.”
Rooftop restaurants that operate without proper certifications put patrons at severe risk in addition to the usual risks of fire that accompany a lack of proper safety measures like fire extinguishers, emergency exits and proper electrical wiring. A lack of proper ventilation in such kitchens to remove smoke, grease, and cooking fumes could lead to choking hazards and fast-spreading flames. Further, if the building is not meant to handle the stress of kitchen equipment, furniture and high foot traffic, it could potentially collapse causing a loss of life both in the building itself, and on the ground. Many rooftops also lack access to fire escapes, evacuation routes and proper sanitation facilities, adding to the potential risks.
With this in mind, this laissez-faire approach of the governing body of the state capital is extremely concerning, especially coming in the wake of the fatal fire that claimed 28 lives in Rajkot on May 25.
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