New Delhi: Rooftop sections of 21 restaurants, bars shut down in Connaught Place after recent roof collapse

Rooftop sections of at least 21 open-air restaurants and cafes in New Delhi's Connaught Place have been shut down by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) after a part of CP's C Block collapsed last week. 

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The restaurants that have been shut down are: My Bar Headquarters, Warehouse Cafe in D-block, The Vault Cafe in F-block, Kinbuck-2 and Kitchen Bar in C-block, Lord of the Drinks, Open House Cafe, Jungle Jamboree, Boombox Cafe, Farzi Cafe, House of Commons, Hotel Palace Heights, Office Canteen Bar, Luggage Room, Cafe OMG, Unplugged Courtyard, Barbeque Nation, TC Bar & Restaurant, Teddy Boy Restaurant and The Niche Restaurant, among others.

On February 2, a part of the building above old-time Jain Book Depot collapsed in Connaught Place raising concerns over the safety of the historical buildings. Nobody was hurt, however, and the affected building was vacated for a while.

"The open-air restaurants have been running for years without permission. The chief architect's office had sent showcause notices to them for misuse of premises under sections 250 and 252 of the NDMC Act, 1994. The rooftop sections were sealed on Friday," a senior official said. He also added that the council prohibits use of terrace and balconies in these heritage buildings for commercial activities.

The restaurant owners had also been warned earlier against using the terrace spaces for commercial purpose. 

"They asked us not to use the balcony or terrace for commercial activity. After the collapse, the officials came and sealed the rooftop areas," Ajit Ajmani, owner of MyBar Headquarters, said.

The NDMC has formed a six-member panel comprising structural safety experts from IIT-Delhi to investigate the reason behind the roof's collapse. 

In 2007, the renovation of the historical structure took off with the restoration of the facade of the C block. The buildings were scheduled to be renovated before the 2010 Commonwealth Games. But the project was completed in 2013 at a cost of Rs 671 crore against the expected Rs 76 crore!

The buildings belonging to the colonia era were constructed between 1929 and 1933 as a central business district. Even today, it serves as a popular commercial spot in the Capital. It is the seventh costliest office space in the world.