Restaurateurs cry foul as NDMC opens its outdoor cafe in CP

Back in February, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) conducted strict checks across the Connaught Place circle after a cave-in incident in C Block. Their inspection, focusing on the structural stability of heritage buildings, resulted in the shut down of rooftop portions of 25 restaurants. A few months on, NDMC has opened its own open air cafe in CP’S Palika Bazaar. Restaurateurs feel cheated. “In a recent meeting, attended by the NDMC chairperson and other high-ranking officials, they told us they can’t allow open air and rooftop restaurants. On enquiring about their plans for the NDMC cafe, I was told that it was cancelled, but a few days later, their chairman inaugurated the cafe,” says Priyank Sukhija, six of whose restaurants stand affected by the ban, despite submission of the required structural stability certificates. “NDMC’S PSOI club in Nehru Park is outdoors; it hosts fests, parties, fests and what not. Then why stop us? As far as the rules go, there should be equality for all... I’m willing to take them to court,” he adds. Restaurateur Umang Tewari agrees. “Our [outdoor] areas are anyway not on the roof, but in balconies next to our joints,” he says. Restaurateur Atul Kapur also calls the move an “unfair practice”. He wishes success for the NDMC cafe, but adds that if need be, he will, with the support of others, file a PIL to get the issue resolved. “NDMC fails to notice that such rules affect revenues and wages, too.” On contacting NDMC, an official, wishing not to be named, said, “The cafe is not on the rooftop of a heritage building... We don’t set rules that we do not comply with.” Despite multiple attempts, Naresh Kumar, chairman, NDMC, was unavailable for comment.

PHOTO: GURINDER OSAN/HT

HT PHOTO On February 2, a portion of the building in C Block collapsed, leading to a ban on rooftop restaurants in Connaught Place