A pandemic fuelled their stupendous growth. Now, a devastating fire has cast a cloud of uncertainty over their future.

Like other metros, Calcutta witnessed a steep rise in the number of al fresco food and beverage outlets in the wake of the pandemic. A significant share of these came up on roofs. Some of the rooftop restaurants and lounges have grown into the most happening places in the city.

On Friday, mayor Firhad Hakim announced that all rooftop restaurants in Calcutta will be shut for fire safety. The owners of such restaurants were unwilling to comment because they had not received any formal communication yet. But many of them privately said they were dismayed by the “sweeping nature” of the decision.

Conservative estimates by restaurateurs suggest that the total number of rooftop eateries in and around the city — big and small, including cafes, lounges, bars and restaurants — would be over 1,000.

“To shut all of them by the stroke of a pen is incredulous. It is wrong on so many levels. The jobs of tens of thousands of people will be taken away. So many livelihoods will be affected. You single out places that have flouted safety norms and shut them all you want. But you cannot decide that every rooftop place is risky,” said the owner of a popular rooftop lounge in south Calcutta.

He also pointed out that most pubs had just had their licences renewed. “The licences are usually valid from April to March. Renewing the licence for a single bar takes around ₹5 lakh. Apart from the excise licence, we need a fire certificate, trade licence and several other permits. Imagine the plight of having to shut shop just after spending so much.”

The co-owner of a popular Chowringhee pub with an elaborate rooftop arrangement said the place opened after obtaining all the necessary permissions. “If all the rooftop areas are risky, why were the clearances given in the first place?” he asked.

Sagar Daryani, president and national head of the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), told Metro: “We cannot give any formal response yet because we are yet to receive any formal communication (on the closure). However, I don’t think the administration will shut down rooftop restaurants that have fulfilled all the compliances and have all the necessary licenses. The ones that are illegal should definitely not be allowed to operate. As restaurateurs, we are committed to ensuring the safety of our guests. As an association, we shall issue an advisory to all our members to adhere to all safety measures.”

Ankit Tibrewal of Hashtag Kolkata said: “We are yet to get any formal notice. We cannot comment yet.”

A spokesperson for WhatsUp Cafe on Southern Avenue echoed him.

Calls to Ramesh Agarwal, co-owner of Roots, another popular nightclub with a rooftop section, went unanswered.

Nitin Kohli, director of Ambuja Neotia Hospitality, which owns AltAir Capella, a skybar in Salt Lake, cited a medical emergency.

For most rooftop bars and restaurants, it was not business as usual on Friday. As TV screens showed the mayor’s announcement, a majority of the outlets said they had kept their rooftop sections shut for now.

A veteran restaurateur, also a member of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Eastern India, said the number of rooftop restaurants in Calcutta more than doubled after the pandemic. “During Covid, people were scared of visiting confined places. That drove the demand for open-air outlets. Rooftop eateries boomed.”

The rooftop outlets are usually divided into a covered section and an open area. As things stand now, there is a blanket ban on both.

Another restaurateur, a partner in a rooftop pub, reminded that last year, the mayor had himself spoken on specific rules for rooftop establishments.

In June last year, Hakim said that the civic body would check whether adequate provisions to carry out rescue operations during emergencies like fire were in place before clearing plans for setting up eateries, cafes and other establishments on rooftops.

“You frame rules and take action against those who flout the rules. But please don’t assume that everyone is at fault,” the restaurateur said.