Guwahati: The Assam Fire and Emergency Service has sealed the Landmark Hotel in Guwahati for alleged violations of fire safety norms. However, the manner in which the Fire and Emergency Service sealed the prominent city hotel has raised questions.
Sources indicated that the Assam Fire and Emergency Service issued a notice to the hotel promoter on April 5, citing alleged lapses in fire safety regulations.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
Following this notice, on April 10, Barua & Company Pvt Ltd, the hotel’s promoter, requested a one-month extension from the Fire and Emergency Service to rectify the “lapses.”
Sources suggested that fulfilling the fire safety requirements was not feasible within a day or two, as completing the necessary tasks demands a certain timeframe.
However, the Assam Fire and Emergency Service reportedly did not respond to their request and abruptly sealed the hotel on Friday evening (April 25).
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
Surprised by these actions, the management of Landmark Hotel had to vacate all guests and cancel all bookings.
Sources also revealed that this is not the first time the Fire and Emergency Service has issued notices to the hotel.
In 2022, an inspection led to a closure order due to alleged fire safety violations. Baruah and Company subsequently approached the Gauhati High Court, which granted a stay on the sealing order.
The court directed the hotel to rectify the identified issues and obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Fire and Emergency Services. The NOC was accordingly issued on July 20, 2023.
Sources further allege that the Fire Service has repeatedly introduced new norms and subsequently labeled the hotel as being in violation.
“It seems the fire service department specifically targeted the Landmark Hotel for safety norms violations,” the source stated.
The source further suggested that this could be an indirect attempt to pressure the promoter to cease operations of the hotel, which was leased by the Board of Sports, Assam, to Barua & Company Pvt Ltd in 2000 for a 20-year period.
“Had there not been such a motive, the fire service would have granted some time to rectify the norms,” the source added.
It is worth noting that a legal dispute is ongoing in an Arbitral Tribunal regarding the extension of the hotel’s 20-year lease.
The Landmark Hotel was originally a guest house named Radha Gobinda Baruah Guest House (RGBGH) in Ulubari, operated by the Board of Sports, Assam.
The Board of Sports, Assam, was established under the National Sports Club of Assam (Taking over of Management and Control) Act, 1977, and Section 4 of the Act vested the Board with all properties, movable and immovable, as well as all rights, powers, and privileges of the Club.
In 2000, the Board faced a precarious financial situation, and the physical condition of the guest house was deteriorating. Consequently, in 2000, the Board of Sports granted a 20-year lease of the property to Barua & Company Pvt Ltd.
Although the lease deed and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) included an extension provision for another 20 years, the Board of Sports refused the extension.
Subsequently, Baruah and Company approached the Gauhati High Court on June 12, 2020, which granted a stay on the evacuation notice and referred the matter to an arbitration tribunal, which passed an interim order restraining the Board of Sports of the Government of Assam from evicting M/s. Barua and Company from the property and the matter remains sub judice.