Malviya Nagar fire: CM Rekha Gupta meets injured at Max Hospital
Synopsis
A day after 21 people died in a Malviya Nagar hotel fire allegedly running without a Fire NoC, Delhi CM Rekha Gupta finally visited the injured at Max Hospital — but only after AAP's Saurabh Bharadwaj publicly accused her of staying away from the site. The optics row now sits alongside a deeper question: how did an unlicensed hotel keep operating in South Delhi?
Key Takeaways
Delhi CM Rekha Gupta visited injured victims at Max Hospital, Saket on 5 June 2025 .
The Malviya Nagar hotel fire on 4 June 2025 killed 21 people and injured several others.
The hotel was allegedly operating without a valid Fire NoC .
AAP's Saurabh Bharadwaj accused the CM of skipping the tragedy site and offering ‘cosmetic statements’.
CM Gupta has sought a detailed report from South Delhi DM Lakshay Singhal and promised strict action.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday, 5 June 2025, visited Max Hospital in Saket to meet those injured in the Malviya Nagar hotel fire that claimed 21 lives a day earlier. The visit followed mounting criticism over her absence from the tragedy site in South Delhi, where a blaze tore through a hotel allegedly operating without a valid Fire No Objection Certificate (NoC).
Key Developments
The fire, which broke out on Wednesday in a congested lane of Malviya Nagar, killed 21 people and left several others injured. CM Gupta has sought a detailed report from South Delhi District Magistrate Lakshay Singhal on the circumstances that led to the disaster and assured strict action against those found responsible.
What the CM Said
In an official statement, Gupta said, ‘Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of lives in the devastating fire incident in Malviya Nagar. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for the speedy recovery of those injured and for strength and courage to all those affected by this heartbreaking tragedy.’
She added that teams of Delhi Fire Services, Delhi Police, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), and CATS Ambulance Services were mobilised immediately, and credited their swift response for evacuating several occupants from the premises.
Opposition's Sharp Attack
The Chief Minister's delayed visit drew sharp criticism from Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Delhi unit chief Saurabh Bharadwaj. In a post on social media platform X, Bharadwaj wrote: ‘Twenty-one innocent lives brutally snatched away in the Malviya Nagar fire while eyewitnesses again accuse Delhi Government for late response of fire brigades. Delhi is shattered, furious, and in tears. Yet CM Rekha Gupta hasn't shown her face at the spot, hasn't met a single grieving family, and offers only cosmetic statements from her ivory tower...’
While several Opposition leaders visited the site on Wednesday, Gupta stayed away from the location, a decision critics argued sent the wrong signal during a moment of public grief.
The Compliance Question
Reports indicate the hotel was operating without a valid Fire NoC — a recurring red flag in Delhi's hospitality and commercial cluster zones. This is the latest in a series of fire incidents in densely built South Delhi neighbourhoods where building-use violations and narrow access lanes have repeatedly hampered emergency response.
What's Next
The district magistrate's report is expected to identify lapses and accountability. CM Gupta has promised ‘strict action’ against anyone found responsible, while the Delhi Government says it is extending medical and financial assistance to affected families. The findings are likely to renew scrutiny of fire-safety enforcement across South Delhi's hotel and guesthouse network.
Point of View
Not leadership — and the optics gap with the Opposition, which reached the site first, will sting longer than the statement. The bigger story is regulatory: a hotel allegedly running without a Fire NoC in the heart of South Delhi is not a freak event but a symptom of years of lax enforcement across Delhi's commercial-residential mix. Unless the DM's report names officials, not just the hotel owner, this will follow the depressingly familiar Delhi fire-tragedy template — outrage, ex gratia, and no structural fix. The Centre-state political theatre risks drowning out the question that actually matters: who certified this building safe to operate?
NationPress
20 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the Malviya Nagar hotel fire?
A massive fire broke out on 4 June 2025 at a hotel in a congested lane of South Delhi's Malviya Nagar area, killing 21 people and injuring several others. The hotel was allegedly operating without a valid Fire No Objection Certificate.
Why is CM Rekha Gupta facing criticism?
CM Rekha Gupta drew criticism for not visiting the fire site on the day of the tragedy, even as Opposition leaders reached the spot. AAP's Saurabh Bharadwaj said in a post on X that she had not met a single grieving family and accused her of offering ‘cosmetic statements’.
What action has the Delhi government promised?
CM Gupta has sought a detailed report from South Delhi District Magistrate Lakshay Singhal and promised strict action against anyone found responsible for lapses. The Delhi government has also assured medical assistance and support to the affected families.
Did the hotel have a Fire NoC?
The hotel was reportedly operating without a valid Fire No Objection Certificate at the time of the blaze. The role of licensing and enforcement authorities is expected to come under scrutiny in the district magistrate's inquiry.
Which agencies were involved in the rescue operation?
Delhi Fire Services, Delhi Police, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), and CATS Ambulance Services were mobilised immediately after the incident. According to the CM, their swift response helped evacuate several people from the affected premises.
