'Desirable, Not Mandatory': The Glaring Safety Lapse Under Delhi's Now-Scrapped B&B Policy

Key points

• 'Desirable, Not Mandatory': The Glaring Safety Lapse Under Delhi's Now-Scrapped B&B Policy Reported By, Edited By Last Updated: June 04, 2026, 12:49 IST Recognising some of these shortcomings, Delhi government had circulated a draft Bed & Breakfast policy on May 26 this year, but tragedy struck before new rules could be implemented Rapid Read Forensics team members take photographs of the site following a fire that broke out at a hotel in New Delhi.
• (AFP) The deadly fire at a Bed and Breakfast (B&B) facility in Delhi’s Hauz Rani area has exposed not just alleged violations by the property operator, but also significant gaps in the Capital’s B&B regulations, particularly when it comes to fire safety.
• The tragedy, which claimed 21 lives, has raised questions about how a property allegedly permitted to operate as a si room B&B was being run as a 21-room commercial establishment.
• But a closer look...