Kolkata: The requirement for rooftop restobars and cafes to get multiple approvals from Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and fire department may pose a hurdle for them to resume operations before Durga Puja.
Though mayor Firhad Hakim, the chairman of the committee set up to look at safety of these establishments, had said that restaurants that have been shut since May 2 may reopen after they submit an undertaking by Sept 15, this is not mentioned in the SOP prepared by the committee.
The SOP states that owners of rooftop restaurants will need to pay an enhanced fee to regularise the establishments that were built without a valid sanction from KMC's buildings department.
Prior to that, owners have to obtain a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the state fire services department.
In the case of residential or semi-residential buildings, the SOP has also made it mandatory for all owners of rooftop facilities to obtain an NOC from all residents of the buildings before submitting the undertaking.
The KMC trade licence department will also seek a separate application for a certificate of enlistment from the owners.
The renewal of such certificates will depend on the submission of a proper fire safety certificate.
"Going by records, the majority of the rooftop restaurants don't have either sanctioned plans for their structures or renewed trade licences. After the SOP is in place, we will not spare any owner who fails to show an updated fire certificate," said a civic official.
Under the SOP, the set of rules will make it mandatory for the owners to get statutory clearances from multiple agencies to run their rooftop businesses. Without NOCs from the fire services department and KMC, the rooftop establishments will be termed illegal. "Applicable fire safety and other statutory clearances must be obtained as required. No department shall issue any form of approval unless clearances from both the municipal authority and fire department are duly obtained," the official added.