TMC initiates action against errant restaurants, starts sealing eateries without fire NOC

Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) on Monday initiated a city-wide drive to take action against hotels and restaurants operating without valid licenses or not adhering to fire safety norms. Over 450 such establishments are under the scanner.

The civic body initiated action after the 15-day deadline given by TMC Chief Sanjeev Jaiswal to restaurant owners, for complying with the mandatory norms, expired on Saturday.

Jaiswal had earlier given eateries 72 hours to ensure compliance with fire safety rules on December 30 in the backdrop of the Kamala Mills fire incident.

However, since most establishments failed to acknowledge the notice on time, the TMC chief allowed them a fortnight to adhere to norms laid out under Maharashtra Fire Prevention & Life Safety Measures Act, 2006 and secure a NOC from the fire department.

Although close to 500 restaurants collected the NOC form, less than 200 submitted them before the deadline and even fewer managed to meet the norms and obtain the NOC. The establishments still flouting norms are liable to get sealed by the TMC.

The drive started from Kothari Compound, located in Manpada area of Thane West. The compound, which houses several eateries, has witnessed over a dozen fire-related incidents in the past.

So far officials have sealed ‘Talli, The Unrefined Lounge‘ and ‘Whr V Met‘ from the compound and razed illegal extensions made by ‘Sai Krupa Veg Restaurant‘, located opposite Talao Pali in Naupada.

Incidentally, many corporators had raised concerns about lack of action against outlets operating from Kothari Compound during the TMC’s general body meeting on Saturday.

A number of representatives also sought a probe to ascertain how these eateries were allowed to remain open despite openly flouting civic norms.

The corporation’s drive is expected to continue throughout the day and further during the week. The civic body will first take action against establishments spanning over 500 sq.ft and subsequently move on to smaller ones.

Update:

The Dansing Bottle, Patlipada sealed

Illegal extensions demolished at The Bar Index, Vasant Vihar