Delhi Assembly Repeals Bed-and-Breakfast Law, Passes Four New Bills
The Delhi Assembly on Tuesday passed a Bill to repeal the existing law governing bed-and-breakfast (B&B) facilities, nearly two months after a fire at one such facility in Malviya Nagar killed 23 people, including several foreign nationals. Industries Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, who tabled the Bill, said the government will bring a new law to regulate B&Bs in the national capital.
Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra had said last week that work is underway on the ‘Delhi Bed & Breakfast Policy, 2026’, whose draft was placed in the public domain on May 26. The proposed policy introduces a self-certification and self-renewal framework, with “deemed approval” within seven working days, a significant reduction from the 30-day process under the 2007 law.
The repeal and new policy come in the wake of a tragic fire at a B&B in Malviya Nagar in late March, which claimed 23 lives. The incident raised serious questions about safety norms and the effectiveness of the existing regulatory framework. The new policy is expected to streamline approvals while ensuring compliance with safety standards, though the government has yet to detail specific enforcement mechanisms.
In addition to the B&B law repeal, the Assembly passed three other Bills. The Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (Amendment) Bill, 2026 revises the cut-off date for a cluster to be considered a slum for rehabilitation from January 1, 2006 to January 1, 2025. Urban Development Minister Ashish Sood said the proposed legislation will transform the lives of lakhs of people living in slums for nearly two decades without basic amenities. The amendment is aimed at including more recent settlements in the rehabilitation framework, potentially benefiting a larger number of residents.
The Assembly also cleared The Delhi (Right of Citizen to Time Bound and Ease of Delivery of Services) Bill, 2026, which seeks to ensure time-bound delivery of public services and reduce bureaucratic delays. Additionally, The Delhi Fire Service (Amendment) Bill, 2026 was passed to replace the words “building bye-laws/National Building Code of India” with “building bye-laws” in the Delhi Fire Service Act, 2007, clarifying the reference to building regulations.
All four Bills will now be sent to Lieutenant-Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu for approval. Once approved, they will become law, with implications for B&B operators, slum dwellers, and public service delivery in Delhi. The government has not yet announced a timeline for the implementation of the new B&B policy, but officials indicate it will be finalized after the legislative approval process is complete.
