Delhi Assembly clears repeal of bed-and-breakfast law ahead of new policy

The Delhi Assembly has approved legislation to repeal the existing law governing bed-and-breakfast establishments in the city. The repeal will take effect on a date to be notified in the official gazette, and the government plans to place a comprehensive replacement policy before the Council of Ministers.

Delhi Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra said the older framework needed to be replaced with a more flexible system suited to changes in tourism and hospitality. More than 750 B&B properties are registered with the Delhi tourism department under the current law.

The move comes after a fire at a B&B in Malviya Nagar in June that killed 23 people. Authorities subsequently stepped up inspections of B&Bs and other hospitality establishments, focusing on fire safety, building rules and other compliance requirements.

For now, existing registrations, certificates, approvals and ongoing proceedings under the repealed law will remain valid unless they conflict with the replacement legislation. However, fresh registrations and processing of pending applications under the current Act will be kept in abeyance during the transition.

A draft B&B Policy, released in May, proposed two categories based on room size, sanitation, safety and services, along with a limit of eight rooms and 16 beds per B&B. It proposed eligibility only for legally constructed residential properties and restrictions intended to stop B&Bs from operating like commercial hotels. It is not yet clear which draft provisions will be retained in the final policy.