The devastating fire that broke out in a five-storey building in Delhi’s Hauz Rani area has sparked serious concerns over regulatory oversight after preliminary investigations revealed that the property may have been operating far beyond its approved capacity.
According to initial findings, the building had permission to operate only six rooms under Delhi’s Bed & Breakfast (B&B) scheme. However, authorities suspect that as many as 25 rooms were being run on the premises, a violation nearly four times the sanctioned limit.
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The property, originally approved as a home-stay under the B&B framework, is now under intense scrutiny as investigators seek to determine how such a significant breach of regulations allegedly continued unchecked for years.
What began as an emergency response to a deadly fire in a densely populated residential neighbourhood has evolved into a broader investigation into possible lapses in monitoring and enforcement. Officials are examining whether the establishment gradually transformed from a residential home-stay into a commercial lodging facility while continuing to operate under its existing B&B registration.
The incident has highlighted concerns about the effectiveness of post-approval inspections and compliance checks, with authorities now reviewing whether existing regulatory mechanisms were adequately enforced.
The Bed & Breakfast scheme, introduced under the Incredible India B&B framework in 2007, was designed to promote safe, affordable accommodation within residential communities while ensuring adherence to prescribed safety and operational standards.
As the investigation progresses, authorities are expected to assess not only the circumstances surrounding the fire but also the regulatory shortcomings that may have allowed the alleged violations to persist.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)
