Rooftop restaurants boom in city

NAGPUR: After Mumbai's Kamala Mills building fire killed 14, municipal corporations of Mumbai and Pune started taking action against unauthorized eateries, especially those on rooftops and in residential buildings. The Nagpur Municipal Corporation, however, seems to be waiting for a tragedy to happen before taking its action.
No action has been taken against even a single restaurant despite many unauthorized ones operating on rooftops and in residential buildings. Three news rooftop restaurants have started in the city in the last few days and despite complaints by citizens, the civic body has remained silent.

The three new restaurants are at Seven Suites Apartment in Abhyankar Nagar, Gokul Roshan in Zenda Chowk, Dharampeth, and in another building at Abhayankar Nagar. The unnamed one and Gokul Roshan are new buildings while Seven Suites Apartment is an old one. The roofs of all three buildings have been covered from the top.

Though TOI knows the name of the second restaurant in Abhyankar Nagar, we have chosen not to name it after the owner of the building said that he doesn't run it. The space had been given out on rent and the owner says he will ask the tenant to dismantle the rooftop restaurant.

RTI activist TH Naidu told TOI that terraces cannot be used for any purpose, let alone commercial use. "To do so is violation of Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act and also city's development control regulations (DCR)," he said.

Officials from NMC Dharampeth Zone and fire and emergency services department confirmed no sanction was given to the three restaurants.

All three buildings are mercantile (residential-cum-commercial) with residential on top floors. Yet, restaurants started functioning there. There is also no provision for parking in all the three buildings.

Naidu added that the NMC's Dharampeth Zone and fire department did not take any action on the unnamed restaurant despite complaining on September 5, 2017. "I had written to the authorities pointing out that there are no fire safety norms in the building," he said.

Dharampeth resident Narhari Joshi lodged complaint against Gokul Roshan building around six months ago for building and fire violations. He also lodged a complaint about the rooftop restaurant that was to start on the building a few days ago. "The restaurant has started serving customers from Thursday," he said.

NMC sources told TOI that Dhananjay Munde, the leader of opposition in legislative council, has submitted an LAQ on rooftop restaurants of the city for the budget session that is set to commence in Mumbai this month. "Munde learnt about many unauthorized restaurants in the city and has sought information in the wake of the Mumbai fire incident," the sources said.

Assistant commissioner of Dharampeth Zone Mahesh Moroney and chief fire officer Rajendra Uchake told TOI that action will be taken against the three restaurants. "Directives have been issued to station officers to seal the restaurants that have been declared unsafe. We will begin action soon," said Uchake without giving a timeline.