Ensure no eateries at Ferozeshah Kotla: Delhi HC

A few days after a minor fire broke out at the Ferozeshah Kotla stadium during an IPL match, the Delhi High Court Tuesday ordered de-sealing of the stadium so that the DDCA can clean the entire premises and ensure that there was no kitchen running to avoid any untoward incidents.

A division bench of Justice B.D. Ahmed and Justice Siddharth Mridul said the Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA) "shall take immediate steps so that no untoward incident of fire or any such similar incident takes place and proper storage of materials is maintained".

"The premises shall be de-sealed till further orders so that DDCA can clean the entire premises and ensure that there is no kitchen running. The DDCA shall also indicate the outcome of the inspection of the fire department," the bench said posting the matter for Wednesday.

The court May 2 directed the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) to give a provisional occupancy certificate to the DDCA to hold five IPL matches at the stadium, and asked the DDCA to obtain a no objection certificate from the fire department.

During the first match of Delhi Daredevils May 3, a minor fire broke out in the stadium and the SDMC moved the high court seeking cancellation of the provisional occupancy certificate granted to it.

Advocate Gurang Kant, appearing for the SDMC, told the court that the DDCA failed to comply with the court's order and failed to obtain necessary certificates from the fire department.

"It is not taking any step for the fulfilment of necessary formalities and has been rather negligent in ensuring public safety," he argued.

The plea said the fire broke out at the stadium at 11.25 p.m. May 3 during the match and the SDMC immediately inspected the premises and found unauthorised eateries were running inside the stadium without any requisite licenses.

It said it received a letter May 5 from the district disaster management authority asking the SDMC to explain "lapses" on its part as to why no action was taken after the fire broke out.