The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed authorities to devise an action plan to implement safety measures aimed at preventing fire and other accidents in hotels, clubs, and restaurants across the national capital.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia passed the order while disposing of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by advocate Arpit Bhargava. The petition had sought a comprehensive safety audit of such establishments and a zone-wise compliance report within a fixed timeframe.
The bench noted that the petitioner had not made any prior representation to the concerned authorities before approaching the court. “There is nothing on record to show that before approaching this court, the petitioner has approached the authorities,” the court said.
Accordingly, the court disposed of the writ petition with a direction that it be treated as a representation by the authorities and considered in accordance with law.
“The authorities shall consider the representation and pass an appropriate decision expeditiously as per rules and law. They should address the issues and devise an action plan to put in place safety measures so that fire incidents and other accidents might be avoided,” the bench directed.
Filed through advocates Sarthak Sharma and Mohit Yadav, the petition had named the Delhi government, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) as respondents.
It sought court directions for conducting a comprehensive safety audit, including fire safety, and submission of a zone-wise report. The petition also requested remedial measures in case of violations and urged the formulation of a compensation scheme for victims of such incidents.
The petitioner highlighted the December 2025 nightclub fire in Goa as a cautionary example, alleging that numerous establishments in Delhi operate in violation of safety norms, endangering public life.
The plea argued for a robust deterrence mechanism, stating: “The object is to save the lives of the public at large and to implement such a compensation/damage scheme that no person will think of violating the law knowingly, thereby ensuring compliance on its own, which will ease the job of respondents as well in the long run.”
The matter will now be dealt with by the authorities as per the High Court’s direction, which includes assessing the safety framework currently in place and addressing any shortcomings to prevent future tragedies.
