Virat Kohli’s Bengaluru Restaurant Gets Civic Body Notice For Fire-Safety Violations – News18

Last Updated:December 21, 2024, 13:35 IST

Virat Kohli’s restaurant has been reportedly functioning without a no-objection certificate from the Fire Department.

Bengaluru Bruhat Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the local civic body of Karnataka’s capital city, has issued a notice to former India captain Virat Kohli’s M.G Road restaurant-pub ‘One8 Commune’ over alleged fire safety violations, according to news agency IANS.

The restaurant has been reportedly functioning without a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Fire Department. It is located on the sixth floor of Ratnam’s Complex near the Chinnaswamy Stadium, the home of Kohli’s IPL team, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

Another notice was issued on November 29 on the complaint of social activists H. M. Venkatesh and Kunigal Narasimhamurthy. However, the restaurant hasn’t replied yet. Now, according to a notice issued by the Health Officer of Shanthinagar Division of the BBMP, the civic body has given a seven-day deadline to the pub. If it misses the clarification again, BBMP will initiate legal action against it.

“Many restaurants, bars, and pubs in high-rise buildings across Bengaluru are operating without any fire safety measures in place. In the past, fire accidents in Bengaluru have led to significant loss of life and injuries. For instance, during the Carlton Towers fire caused by a short circuit, people jumped off the building in an attempt to save their lives,” Complainant Venkatesh stated, as quoted by IANS.

“To prevent such incidents, BBMP and the Fire Department have conducted audits. They identified several buildings without proper fire safety measures and issued rules stating that licenses should not be granted to such buildings, and operations should not be permitted on those premises,” he demanded.

“Despite these rules, violations continue unabated. Similarly, a restaurant in a high-rise building at Ratna Complex on MG Road is lacking fire safety measures. We have raised this issue and brought it to the attention of the BBMP by filing a complaint. Following this, they have issued a notice. It remains to be seen how proactive BBMP and the Fire Department will be in ensuring safety and implementing these measures effectively,” Venkatesh said.

In July, an FIR was registered against the same restaurant for operating past the 1 a.m. deadline. The FIR stated that the establishment was serving customers at 1.20 a.m.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – IANS)