Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) declared on March 3 that registered bakeries and restaurants in Mumbai will no longer require a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) when transitioning to clean fuels. Generally, any business or residential property must secure a No Objection Certificate from the fire department to function, confirming the fire safety protocols implemented.
According to existing regulations, changing fuel sources requires obtaining a new certificate. To ensure a seamless shift to cleaner fuels such as piped natural gas (PNG), the BMC has streamlined this procedure for businesses that are already registered. An official at a high level stated that Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) will instead offer the required certification that will function as the NOC for these organizations.
This all-encompassing policy will reach beyond bakeries to include any registered business choosing clean fuel, enhancing the safety advantages of PNG. Recently, MGL announced that bakers and eateries applying for new cleaner fuel connections will no longer need to provide security deposits.
This effort came after talks between municipal officials and the Bombay Bakers Association (BBA), represented by former corporator and Samajwadi Party member Rais Shaikh. The BMC intends to focus on license renewals and offer a 30% subsidy through the Prime Minister’s Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises Scheme to guarantee minimal business interruption.
On February 19, the BMC required all bakeries and restaurants to transition to clean fuel options by July 8, 2025, following a directive from the Bombay High Court. BBA members indicate that conventional baking techniques that utilize wood-fired ovens are still financially impractical for certain individuals.
