The owner of Flourish Stay B&B applied for licence renewal while rescue operations were ongoing during the June 3 fire incident.
Officials alleged the property illegally operated a restaurant despite holding only a Tea and Snacks stall licence without seating permission.
Multiple violations, including lack of fire NOC and operating excess rooms, were reportedly found at the property.
According to a report by The Hindu, the registered owner of Flourish Stay B&B in Delhi allegedly submitted an application to renew the property’s ‘Tea and Snacks stall (without seats)’ licence even as rescue operations were underway after a massive fire broke out at the building on June 3.
The six-storey property caught fire around 8.30 a.m., while the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) reportedly received the renewal application between 9.30 a.m. and 10 a.m. the same day, the report said.
The blaze reportedly originated from the ground floor area of the property, where a restaurant-style setup with seating arrangements and a kitchen was allegedly operating despite the establishment only holding a Tea and Snacks (T&S) licence meant for stalls without seating.
Licence Had Expired Two Months Ago
The T&S licence had expired nearly two months earlier and was last renewed on April 18, 2025.
Officials said the MCD had concluded scrutiny of the property’s instant licence on June 2 — just a day before the fire — without flagging any violations or rejecting the licence.
The T&S licence category is reportedly an instantly generated licence requiring annual renewal and usually involves limited scrutiny because of the large volume of applications processed by the civic body.
Restaurant Allegedly Operated Illegally
MCD officials told The Hindu that the establishment was allegedly operating a full-fledged restaurant with multiple seating arrangements despite not possessing the required licence for such commercial activity.
An MCD official reportedly said that proactive enforcement inspections are generally not carried out for instant licences unless specific violations are reported.
The report said MCD had initiated scrutiny of health trade licences after directions issued in January 2026 following the Goa fire incident.
However, inspections in this case were delayed because of manpower changes and the retirement of the concerned Public Health Inspector earlier this year.
Officials reportedly said scrutiny was later fast-tracked after a May 19 directive asking authorities to expedite pending inspections.
Multiple Violations Allegedly Found
The report said that several other violations were also identified at the property.
Officials claimed the B&B was operating nearly 25 rooms despite having permission for only six rooms under Delhi’s Bed and Breakfast Policy, 2007.
The property also allegedly lacked a fire No Objection Certificate (NOC) and did not have a sanctioned building plan.
Authorities further stated that the building fell within a Lal Dora area, placing it outside the ambit of regular MCD building by-laws.
Delhi Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra told The Hindu that the tourism department had only granted permission for the B&B operation and was not responsible for regulatory enforcement or inspections.
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