Other establishments in Kamla Mills compound exude confidence of a busy and smooth New Year weekend, say they have followed all required regulations
Staff briefing at Grandmama's All Day Cafe in Kamla Mills compound
Having felt the heat of the fire at 1 Above, several other restaurants in Kamla Mills compound are gearing up to provide security to their guests, while maintaining that all their fire safety compliances are in place. The fire is said to have had a major impact on the business of several restaurants, pubs, bars, and cafes on the premises over the weekend, but most establishments are confident of continuing their plans as scheduled.
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Playing safe
"It really is a very unfortunate incident; it has shocked us all. While we have complied with all fire-related regulations and our location on the ground floor gives us an edge in terms of having broader and multiple exits, we thought it would be better to have a meeting with the staff regarding the incident. They've already been trained how to tackle such situations; nonetheless, they were briefed on important details - understanding the entry-exit points for effective evacuation, understanding the functioning of sprinklers and fire extinguishers, etc. They should be aware, informed and confident of tackling any eventuality effectively," said Joseph Machado, manager at Grandmama's All Day Cafe.
While the cafe is geared up to welcome guests for the New Year weekend, staffers do feel that the number of patrons might be less than expected. Cafe Delhi Heights, which opened in September, started its day's business a little later than usual yesterday but is confident of having a busy weekend. A representative of the restaurant, which can accommodate 85, said, "We've already done a fire audit, and our entire staff is well trained to tackle such situations." "There's no party planned; the restaurant will function like it does during any regular weekend," the representative added when asked about its plans for December 31.
'All in place'
South High was open yesterday and too expected regular weekend flow for New Year's Eve. Operations manager Vikrant Chandra said, "Ours is a family restaurant, so we are not concerned about extended deadlines for December 31. Our establishment is new and all our documentation is in place; without it, we wouldn't have got permission from BMC and fire department, would we?"
"Also, every new employee is given briefing on how to tackle fire incidents, giving priority to guests," he added. At FLYP@MTV pub, a party has been planned. Now, after Friday's fire, operations executives are awaiting their owners' response, having sent them a brief about the ground reality. At KODe too, senior employees said the New Year weekend was expected to be as usual and smooth, with the management saying all regulations had been complied with.
'No change in plans'
Joseph Machado, manager at Grandmama's All Day Cafe
'Staffers were briefed on important details - understanding the entry-exit points for effective evacuation, understanding the functioning of sprinklers and fire extinguishers, etc. They should be aware, informed and confident of tackling any eventuality effectively'.
Vikrant Chandra, operations manager, South High
'Ours is a family restaurant, so we are not concerned about extended deadlines for December 31. Our establishment is new and all our documentation is in place; without it, we wouldn't have got permission from BMC and fire department, would we?'
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