Unauthorised hotels and guest houses in various parts of the Capital are mushrooming under the nose of the authorities. The areas like Mahipalpur and Paharganj in South and North Delhi Municipal Corporations respectively house close to 800 hotels and guest houses; a majority of which are operating without licence from the concerned civic bodies. At the same time, a large number of such hotels are also operating from the residential areas in gross violation of the rules.
According to the officials, 300 hotels are located in Mahipalpur area of South-West Delhi out of which only 14 hotels have been issued licence from the South Delhi Corporation till December 31 last year. Since these hotels are located close to the airport, a large number of visitors come to these hotels and thus putting their safety and security at a great risk.
Similarly, Sadar Paharganj has nearly 400 hotels and guest houses out of which over 250 hotels are running unauthorisedly. With proximity of these hotels to airport and railway stations, immoral activities are also on rise.
However, no action is being taken against them. An official of the North Delhi Corporation admitted that no major drive has been launched against these hotels after 2010.
leader of House in North Delhi Corporation, Mahendra Nagpal said the corporation has also simplified the licencing procedure but still a number of such owners operate without licence. He, however, said licence is issued to the all applicants who fulfill the requirements.
A senior official said demolition and sealing drive is carried out against such properties and also action is taken against for non-payment of conversion charges and also for operating without trade and health licence. “There are a number of guesthouses that don’t have the mandatory health licence. There are others that cross the permissible height of 15 metres. Also, non-payment of conversion charges and illegal construction invite legal action,” official said.