‘Self-correction needed but don’t be indiscriminate’
Times of India | 4 May 2025
Kolkata: Restaurants' bodies in the city, including the National Restaurants Association of India (NRAI) Kolkata chapter and the Hotel and Restaurants Association of Eastern India (HRAEI), have pleaded with the civic authorities to refrain from a blanket ban on rooftop restaurants. They, however, believe there is a need for ‘self-correction' on the part of those who have been flouting norms to use terraces for commercial use.
Mayor Firhad Hakim announced on Friday that all rooftop eateries will be shut down in the wake of the Burrabazar hotel fire last Tuesday. The NRAI is contemplating legal action against the civic move.
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The associations, as well as restaurant owners, fear that shutting down rooftop eateries could be a crippling blow to the food and beverages sector. Many depend on their rooftop sections for business despite having indoor seating arrangements. A central Kolkata restaurant, which had a partially open terrace section, shut it down on Friday night. An open-air and lounge bar on Russell Street said it will keep its rooftop section open until a notification arrives. Several others were undecided about staying open in the future.
According to the HRAEI, Kolkata has more than 600 rooftop and open-terrace eateries. "There could be some who are flouting the civic norms. They should be asked to take corrective measures, and action should be taken if they don't. But the rest should not be penalised for others' transgressions. Around 10% of the city's restaurants have rooftop sections, and they also employ around 10% of the total workforce in the industry," said HRAEI president Sudesh Poddar.
An NRAI spokesperson said the association received the KMC notification. "It cited various civic rules that say constructions on the rooftop are illegal and that they need to be accessible to all. It also said that the terrace or rooftop is a common area which can't be used commercially. If this is the law, then why did the KMC and the fire department grant the necessary licences to so many rooftop restaurants? It is unfair to force them to shut down after so many years. Instead, we should be given a chance to correct the illegalities, if there are any," said the spokesperson.
He added that most rooftop restaurants have bars which just renewed their liquor licences for a hefty sum. "It would be unfair to single out standalone rooftops. Several five-star hotels have multiple facilities like restaurants, gyms, and swimming pools on their rooftops. They should also be asked to shut them down," said Poddar.