Bidhannagar areas: Rooftop restaurants under scanner

Kolkata: Following the direction of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) to shut down rooftop cafeterias and restaurants across the city, Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC) too has started gathering information about such rooftop commercial establishments across its jurisdiction.

Apart from the BMC, Nabadiganta Industrial Township Authority (NDITA) has also started an inquiry about the rooftop restaurants.

After the notification issued by the KMC, BMC has directed its councillors to find out the rooftop cafeterias and restaurants in their respective areas and submit a report. BMC Mayor, Krishna Chakraborty informed that after submission of the reports by the councillors, the same will be shared with the police for further action. She said: “As per the instruction of Firhad Hakim (UD&MA minister & KMC mayor), the councillors have been asked to provide a ward-based list of rooftop cafeterias and restaurants. This list will be handed over to the police.”

Meanwhile, NDITA has nine such rooftop cafeterias and restaurants in its area. An inspection of those rooftop cafeterias and restaurants has started. After the completion of the inspection a meeting is likely to be held to decide further course of action. KMC announced that building rooftops cannot be sold or let-out for commercial use and need to be kept open and accessible for all. During a recent press conference on Friday, Firhad Hakim told the media that the notification is according to the Building Rules, 2009 under the KMC Act, 1980. According to Rule number 117, sub-rule 4: “Every terrace on the top-most storey of any building shall have a common access and shall not be subdivided”.