Delhi: Restobar owners in CP appeal to NDMC to allow use of terraces

Restobars in Connaught Place are counting their losses as an NDMC crackdown on illegal commercial use of terraces is driving away droves of party animals from their favourite watering holes.

ROOFTOP FACILITIES INACCESSIBLE

The civic body has made the breezy rooftop facilities inaccessible to guests - mostly the city's youngsters and foreign tourists - who enjoyed barbecue, drinks and the sparkling view of CP's buzzing traffic from the balconies on pleasant evenings. At least half-a-dozen restobars Mail Today visited in the shopping arcade rued the New Delhi Municipal Council's month-old order to lock down the terraces. Some others, whose terraces were functioning, admitted to receiving a circular from the municipal agency asking the "illegal" spaces to be closed, but said they were "discussing the issue" with the NDMC.

Ajit Ajmani, co-owner of My Bar Headquarters, said, "We are already losing 10-15 per cent revenue. If this continues into December and January, we will lose 30-40 per cent of our evening revenue daily." Authorities should consider reframing laws to allow the use of terraces and most restaurateurs would agree to an additional charge, he said.

VIOLATIONS

Bars and restaurants catering to the young spring up almost every week in Connaught Place's grand colonnaded buildings. Mail Today had reported on September 28 that the New Delhi Traders Association (NDTA), a group of ground floor shop owners in CP, had written to NDMC chairman Naresh Kumar, complaining about "excess load on the heritage structure due to wild mushrooming of restaurants." Kumar had then said that the agency was in the process of closing the terraces at the least.

The law cited to do this was Delhi Building Bye-laws, 1983. Also, as a senior NDMC official explained, "All the terraces being used as extensions of restaurants and bars violate the NDMC Act, Section 252 (Misuse of premises beyond sanction)." "Further, the Delhi Urban Arts Commission (DUAC) had approved a certain design and usage plan for the terraces during CP Redevelopment Project at Commonwealth Games time in 2010. It had clearly asked the terraces to be kept untouched, their faade unspoilt and to be used only as emergency and fire exit," he added. However, CP restaurateurs are clearly upset.

"The world over, the flavour is open-air and terrace restaurants," said Ujjwal Ashiwal, general manager of Warehouse Caf. "If you go to Bali, there are several such beautiful restaurants from the roof of which you can enjoy a spectacular view of the Kuta and Denpasar markets while dining. Then in Dubai, there are several high-rise tower terrace restaurants, which offer a great view of the sail-shaped luxury hotel, Burj Al Arab. Why can't we emulate that?"

SAFETY CONCERNS

NDMC officials, though, pointed to the safety and security concerns raised by the "misuse". In August, a fire broke out at another nightlife hub, Hauz Khas Village, killing a young businessman and injuring a French woman. Khyati Pathak, PR manager of Open House Caf, said, "There is nothing like the view of the Central Park in Connaught Place, the huge national flag, and the golden lights of the traffic passing by during winter evenings. We have two terrace seating spaces - one is a romantic spot preferred by couples and the other by groups of friends and professionals to drink and enjoy. We feel really bad when we have to turn them down saying that the terrace is closed."

Sanjay Singh, General Manager, Tamasha, said, "We opened only on February 2016. It's the first time that we have closed our terrace, which is hugely popular with seating for at least 45-50 people."

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