Health licence of 30 hotels in Karol Bagh suspended by NDMC: Mayor

Days after the Delhi government cancelled fire safety certificates of several hotels in Karol Bagh, the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) has suspended health licences of 30 of those establishments, its mayor said Monday.

North Delhi Mayor Adesh Gupta also said the civic body's probe team investigating the deadly fire incident at Hotel Arpit Palace recently, in which 17 people were killed, has found that "violation of fire safety norms seemed to the main factor" resulting in the tragedy.

The Delhi government has already taken action and cancelled fire safety certificates of 71 of the 80 hotels inspected in the Karol Bagh area in the past few days.

"We have received a list of 57 such hotels, and health licences of 30 of such establishments have been suspended," Gupta told PTI.

He said a probe team of the corporation has submitted its report and "more action" will be taken once it is analysed. It will also be seen if there was any fault from the side of the civic officials, the mayor added.

"The magisterial inquiry by the Delhi government is already underway. And, we are also taking appropriate action from our side," he said.

As per the report, the fire was triggered by a short circuit in an air-conditioner on the second floor of the building, Gupta said.

"Also, violation of fire safety norms seemed to be the main factor, i.e. there was lack of fire hydrants, narrow emergency exits, employees not properly trained in firefighting, which are important factors for earning the NOC for fire safety," he said.

"How did this (Arpit) hotel got the NOC? The Delhi government is only cancelling fire safety certificates of hotels now. But they should also take action against those who gave clearance despite those inadequacies," Gupta said.