Firefighters doused a blaze in central Delhi on Wednesday. No injuries were reported in the incident.
| Photo Credit: ANI
The Delhi Fire Services on Wednesday (December 10, 2025) asked officers to conduct “immediate and thorough fire safety inspections” of restaurants, hotels and clubs ahead of Christmas and New Year celebrations in the Capital in view of the December 6 tragedy in Goa, where 25 people died in a blaze at a nightclub.
Following directions issued by the Delhi government, DFS Principal Director A. Nedunchezhiyan directed all divisional officers and assistant divisional officers to verify compliance of public establishments with fire-safety norms in their respective jurisdictions “in view of the recent fire incident in Goa and the increased risk associated with the upcoming festive season” and submit reports.
The government also asked Goods and Services Tax authorities and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to share data regarding “pubs, bars, restaurants, hotels, temporary structures, pandals and similar establishments” with the DFS. “This will support improved risk assessment, focused inspections and timely preventive action,” the government said.
Earlier in the day, Delhi Home Minister Ashish Sood said they were fully committed to ensuring robust fire-safety standards in the national capital. “No negligence in licensing or public safety will be tolerated. Habitual violators will face sealing and strict punitive action,” Mr. Sood told mediapersons.
The government has announced a number of measures to ensure compliance with fire-safety directives in the wake of the December 6 incident. These include strengthening the existing licensing and regulatory framework for public establishments.
“The government is bringing about a complete transformation in fire-safety preparedness. Specialised equipment is being procured that can operate effectively in narrow lanes and reach the upper floors of high-rise buildings,” said the Minister.
He reiterated the government’s “zero tolerance” approach towards lapses in the issuance of licenses or in inter-departmental data sharing. “Irregular practices that may have persisted in previous years will not be allowed to continue. This government’s approach is to tighten regulatory oversight and rationalise procedural bottlenecks so that lawful businesses are encouraged to comply voluntarily,” said Mr. Sood.
A day earlier, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta had chaired a review meeting with senior fire department officials and directed the Chief Secretary and DFS officials to examine the current mechanism for obtaining no-objection certificates and, if needed, frame new guidelines to make the process less cumbersome.
Meanwhile, a fire broke out on the first floor of the Hamdard Building on Asaf Ali Road in central Delhi around 3 p.m., the DFS said, adding that the blaze was doused and no injuries were reported.
“We received a call regarding a fire at the Hamdard Building at 3.03 p.m. We rushed five fire tenders to the spot. The fire was brought under control by 3.45 p.m. Cooling operation is under way,” said an officer.
Published – December 11, 2025 02:00 am IST
