“The permission had been granted only for a six-room bed-and-breakfast establishment. However, the premises was allegedly operating far beyond its permitted capacity,” Sood said.
According to the government, the five-storey building was allegedly functioning as a high-density commercial lodging facility despite permissions for limited operations. Preliminary investigations have also indicated unauthorised addition of rooms, obstruction of evacuation routes and the absence of mandatory fire clearances.
Sood said the establishment had allegedly been allowed to operate under an incomplete licence obtained in 2024 despite major safety deficiencies.
Calling for strict accountability, the minister directed the district authorities, MCD officials, Delhi Fire Services and the Power Department to conduct physical inspections of registered and suspected B&B establishments across the city.
“Illegal commercialisation in residential areas will not be tolerated,” Sood said, adding that the government had adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards unsafe commercial operations.
The Delhi Government has also ordered dissemination of fire safety norms to commercial buildings and Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), while a dedicated helpline and email mechanism will be set up within a week to enable citizens to report violations.
Officials have further been directed to identify bottlenecks that hinder the movement of fire tenders and improve emergency accessibility in congested areas.
Meanwhile, the authorities have been instructed to ensure treatment of the injured, expedite identification of victims through DNA sampling and assist families with cremation, burial and transportation arrangements.