Delhi hotel fire: Owner sought to renew ‘tea and snacks stall’ license during rescue operations

The owner of the Delhi hotel that was burned down in a deadly fire days earlier was reportedly submitting an application on the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) portal for the renewal of a ‘Tea and Snacks stall (without seats)’ license while the rescue operations were underway at the six-story property in Malviya Nagar. This comes as the investigation continues into the blaze that broke out at the building on June 3, killing 21, including several foreign nationals.

According to The Hindu, citing a senior civic body official, Jay Mishra, the owner of Flourish Stay B&B, where the fire broke out, was filling out the renewal application on the MCD portal. The fire that devastated the building started around 8:30, and the MCD received Mishra’s request between 9:30 and 10 pm.

Mishra was running a restaurant-style setup with seating arrangements, despite the establishment only having a Tea and Snacks (T&S) license, which is meant for stalls without seating. This license is issued instantly and must be renewed annually. However, authorities found that it was operating a full-fledged restaurant with a kitchen and extensive seating on the ground floor without the required licence. According to the Delhi Fire Service, the blaze originated in this ground-floor section.

According to the report, the license had expired nearly two months before, and last renewed on April 18, 2025.

The scrutiny was initiated following directions issued in January 2026 to verify documents and conduct physical inspections of all MCD Health Trade Licences issued following the Goa fire incident. However, the process was delayed due to staff changes and the retirement of the concerned Public Health Inspector (PHI), causing the case to remain pending until June.

Following a May 19 directive to expedite pending inspections, the cases were fast-tracked. Officials said the establishment, Flourish Stay, had obtained a Tea and Snacks (T&S) licence in 2023 and renewed it annually. Its licence was among nearly 700 instant licences selected for review in the South Zone. Despite document verification and a field inspection, no violations were recorded, even though the property was allegedly operating a restaurant with seating under a T&S licence.

Officials also flagged multiple violations under Delhi’s Bed and Breakfast Policy, including operating around 25 rooms despite approval for only six, lacking a fire NOC and sanctioned building plan, and being located in a Lal Dora area outside MCD building by-laws, the report added.