We are greatly shocked and saddened by the tragic incident of fire at a building located in the Lower Parel area of Mumbai which has resulted in the unfortunate deaths of guests and staff. We extend deepest condolences to the bereaved families of the victims and pray for speedy recovery of the injured. Our best wishes goes out for the valiant and timely effort of the rescue operators.

This incident further reiterates the need for improving infrastructure conditions, in particular fire safety. We will continue to engage with the state governments on how best to improve the fire safety measures in order to prevent such type of recurrences in future.

As an immediate step, we are convening a meeting that will facilitate a dialogue to explore possible avenues for improving and strengthening fire safety measures in our sector. On a long term basis, we will be exploring the possibility of launching a program to address occupational Safety and Health conditions, including adequate fire safety and training mechanisms. We also hope to learn from the conclusions reached by the different government committees instituted to investigate this particular fire incident.

Important Note: It is an earnest request to have the fraternity members and staff in the restaurants and back offices across India to observe a two-minute silence prayer today at 7pm sharp as respect for those who have lost their lives in this tragic incident.

–          Rahul Singh, President, NRAI