The 558-room hotel being run by India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) in the heart of the city has been running without a valid permanent licence ever since it came up in the early 1980s. The ad-hoc licence, too, had expired way back in 1992.

Till last month, the 18-stored skyscraper was classified as a major fire hazard as the fire safety norms were being flouted with impunity, putting its guests to a considerable risk. Though the Delhi Fire Service has now given a `conditional' no-objection certificate, the hotel is yet to obtain the excise licence, trade licence and the completion certificate for its building.

The above are the most basic formalities that need to be fulfilled before applying for a police licence, without which no hotel or restaurant can be allowed to operate in the Capital. Still, the AYN and two other ITDC properties, Kanishka and Samrat hotels, have been running in a glaring violation of the licencing and safety norms.

In his notice served on the hotel authorities today, the DCP (licencing) Mohan Kudeisya asked the hotel authorities to submit with him all the above documents, along with a copy of the lease deed issued by the Union Ministry of Urban Affairs, within 30 days failing which the hotel would not be allowed to operate.

In the aftermath of Uphaar tragedy in June last year, the licencing authorities had tightened their grip on all public premises including hotels, restaurants, marriage and cinema halls. A large number of them had even been closed down following surprise raids.

Strangely enough, the authorities have turned a blind eye to the irregularities at the AYN, Kanishka and Samrat hotels.

``The case exposes the government hypocrisy in implementing even the basic norms. While private hotels like Radisson and Park Royale have had to fight protracted legal battles before they were allowed to operate, ostensibly because they had deviated from the sanctioned building plans, the hotels like AYN never bothered to get a completion certificate for the building,'' a senior licencing officer today observed.

Several extensions have since been added to the original building of the hotel. The hotel was formally reminded by the licencing authorities at the Delhi Police in July 1995, June 1996 and then in December last year of their lapses, but nothing has so far been done.

In fact, the DFS hasn't given a clean chit as the hotel is yet to appoint trained fire officers to fight fire and ensure a safe evacuation of the guests in the event of a disaster.

``God forbid, if there is a fire in the hotel tomorrow, the guests will have to fend for themselves till the help from the DFS arrived,'' the official said.