Fire exposes cluster of similar hotels

New Delhi: The hotel where Wednesday’s fire claimed 21 lives was far from isolated. A walk through the neighbourhood revealed dozens of budget hotels, guest houses and hostels operating from similar multi-storeyed buildings packed into narrow lanes, many sharing the same layout of cramped interiors, a single entry/exit point, lift shafts running through the structure and limited or no ventilation.TOI found that as news of the tragedy spread, several establishments shut their doors, removed their signboards and evacuated guests. Another hotel belonging to the owner of the gutted hotel was hurriedly evacuated too.Karllambert from the Philippines said, “My wife and I came to India as our seven-month-old son is undergoing a liver transplant at Max Hospital. We were staying at a nearby hotel and paying Rs 2,000 per night for a small, cramped room with no windows. Today morning, the staff woke us up and asked us to leave immediately.”Locals attributed the proliferation of hotels to the area’s proximity to Max Hospital, which attracts patients from across India and abroad. Nightly rooms rates range from Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000, making them a popular option for families seeking accommodation during treatment. However, the neighbourhood’s infrastructure has struggled to keep pace with the growing number of hotels and visitors, said long-time residents.A peek inside one of the hotels, which removed its signboard and closed immediately after the tragedy, showed how cramped these establishments are. A lift stood next to the staircase while the remaining space was so limited there was hardly any room for a reception or seating area.“With a residential building in the colony would have a maximum of two rooms on a floor, hotels have squeezed in four rooms in the same space. They regularly host families and tourists, so the buildings are rarely empty. On weekends, a single floor easily has 8-10 guests,” said Preet, a resident.With as many as four rooms on each floor, locals estimated a single building could house 80-100 tourists at a time and said evacuation during emergencies is near impossible in such a situation.The design of several hotels in the locality followed a similar pattern. One five-storey residential building had virtually no ventilation, with its facade entirely covered in glass. The structure resembled a shopping complex, leaving little scope for natural airflow.Residents also pointed to the absence of fire safety infrastructure. “You hardly see fire hoses or other equipment installed in these buildings,” said a resident.A common feature is the placement of kitchens in basements. “Most owners want to maximise the number of guest rooms on the upper floors to increase earnings, so kitchens are often pushed into the basement,” said Vishal, a resident.Three years ago, a portion of a nearby park was removed to create a wider access road but residents said the stretch is now used for parking. “It was converted into a road to provide easier access for ambulances, fire tenders and emergency vehicles. But over the years, as hotels came up, cabs and private vehicles began occupying the area, defeating its very purpose. At the time of the fire, this road was blocked. Fire tenders faced delays and ambulances struggled to get through,” Vijay, another resident.