Cricket-lovers faced a tough time during an IPL match on Monday at Feroz Shah Kotla as the South Delhi Municipal Corporation sealed all eateries inside the stadium for not having health and trade licences.

Health and trade licences from the civic authority concerned is mandatory for any outlet to operate from within the stadium.

On Saturday, a fire was reported from one of the canteens during an Indian Premiere League match, following which a team of officials from the South Corporation inspected the stadium on Sunday.

It was found that the eateries in the stadium were running under the “most insanitary and unhygienic” conditions.

SDMC commissioner Manish Gupta said, “The eateries operating under unhygienic conditions posed a serious threat to public health. So we had to seal them.”

While passing the sealing order, deputy commissioner, Central Zone of south civic agency Rupesh Kumar Thakur said that the canteens are a risk to health of the public visiting the stadium.

According to the South Corporation, the sealing of the “unauthorised establishments were carried out in larger public interest.”

“Therefore, all canteens and stalls running near gate number seven Hill A, Hill B, Old Club House Building, players building roof and food stalls used at DDCA’s Feroz Shah Kotla have been sealed,” the order said. 

A day prior to the fire at the stadium, the corporation had issued a challan to the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) directing the association to shut down the eating establishments.

Old issue

The squabble between DDCA and the South Delhi Municipal Corporation is not new.
The SDMC alleged that DDCA owes property tax worth crores of rupees and does not even have a completion certificate for Feroz Shah Kotla stadium.

A senior civic official said that every year during the IPL, the DDCA approaches the High Court and gets a provisional certificate to conduct their scheduled matches.

It can be noted here that matches cannot be allowed at Feroz Shah Kotla without the completion certificate, the official said.

SDMC officials added that eating establishments should not operate without proper licences from authorities keeping in view public safety as matches were being played at the stadium.

Monday’s match between Delhi Daredevils and Chennai Super Kings continued as per schedule.