HC initiates PIL to look into Karol Bagh hotel fire

The Delhi High Court sought response of the AAP government, police and the fire department on Tuesday on a PIL it has initiated to look into the recent fire at a hotel here which claimed 17 lives.

A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao issued notice to the Delhi government, police, fire department, North Delhi Municipal Corporation and Hotel Arpit Palace, where the incident occurred, and sought their replies on whether the establishment in question was functioning in violation of licensing norms.

The court decided to take up the issue as a PIL after it received a letter from Tushar Sahdev and Raman Kalra, who had claimed that the hotel, located in Karol Bagh area of the national capital, was not complying with the Supreme Court directions to have more than one exit and entry point.

They have contended in their letter that there was only one entry/exit point.

Apart from that, they have also said the hotel was located on a narrow road as against the requirement in the Master Plan that such establishments be set up near roads with a minimum width of 80 feet.

The letter has also questioned how a license to operate was granted to the hotel by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation and Delhi Police despite these limitations.

The court listed the matter for further hearing on August 5.