Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is revoking the permissions it had given to all the city’s rooftop establishments to start restaurants.
This followed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s advice to keep roofs free for fire or other disasters like those in the Mechua Bazar hotel.
The KMC has issued notices to 83 rooftop restaurants and cafes that were identified by the police. It has asked them to stop operations and pull down any illegal constructions.
The notices are issued under Section 402 of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Act, 1980, asking the owners of the rooftop establishments to stop operations.
In case of non-compliance with the directive, KMC will demolish the unauthorised portions.
Legally, KMC is well within its rights to withdraw permissions it had granted previously if something goes wrong. Henceforth, the roof will be common for all occupiers, owners and residents with a common access.
According to KMC, many rooftop establishments were set up in violation of the building permit, which does not allow any construction on the roof.
And having a trade license and paying property tax for a long time does not absolve this violation of the building permit.
Following the CM’s suggestion, the KMC Mayor Firhad Hakim announced the shutdown of all of Kolkata’s rooftop restaurants, cafes, lounges and bars.
Similarly, Bidhannagar police have identified 25 rooftop restaurants, cafes, bars and lounges and served them notices to stop operations immediately.
These rooftop spots are in Salt Lake and New Town and come under Bidhannagar Police jurisdiction.
