A recent NDMC (New Delhi Municipal Council) drive in Delhi’s Khan Market has caught the attention of food lovers after videos showing restaurant and cafe signboards being removed went viral online. One clip, in particular, led many people to wonder whether popular cafe The Grammar Room had shut down. However, businesses in the market have clarified that they continue to operate as usual. The controversy stems from an NDMC drive targeting what it described as non-compliant signage and encroachments, a move that has drawn objections from traders and restaurateurs.
Why Are Khan Market Signboards Being Removed?
According to a report by The Times of India, the NDMC on Monday removed signboards from several shops and restaurants in Khan Market, saying they were oversized and did not comply with the Outdoor Advertisement Policy (OAP), 2017. The civic body also removed claddings and water motors installed near building boundaries, describing them as encroachments on public land.
NDMC officials told TOI that the exercise was conducted jointly by its enforcement, estate, architect and EBR departments and followed discussions previously held with market stakeholders. The officials maintained that notices regarding the signages had already been issued.
The civic body further stated that it was not carrying out a large-scale crackdown. According to the officials, the action covered only 10 to 12 complexes in one row initially, while the rest of the market was encouraged to voluntarily comply with regulations.
Viral Video Fuels Closure Rumours
Amid the drive, a video posted on Instagram by restaurateur Navdeep Singh Sethi from KLAP in Khan Market gained significant attention online. The footage showed a JCB removing the signage of popular cafe The Grammar Room.
Sharing the video, Sethi wrote, “Watching the Khan Market signage being demolished today was genuinely heartbreaking.”
In the caption, he added, “Chaos outside. Life goes on inside. Through the dust, noise and disruption, Khan Market is still showing up.”
The video led many social media users to speculate that The Grammar Room may have shut down. Responding to the rumours, the cafe’s Chief Business Officer, Tanya Bhardwaj, shared an Instagram Story clarifying that the establishment remains open.
“Hi guys, The Grammar Room at Khan Market is open and serving up all the goodies as usual. There’s a video going around of one of our signages being pulled down – it’s just never a dull day in hospitality. In other news, if anyone would like to swing by for coffee – I’m here,” she wrote.
Traders Challenge NDMC’s Assessment
The drive has also drawn criticism from the Khan Market Traders Association. Speaking to ANI, association president Sanjeev Mehra questioned NDMC’s assessment of alleged encroachments in the market.
“NDMC is a little misguided that there is massive encroachment in Khan Market. But there is nothing like that. Small projections are protruding, which they had a little objection to,” Mehra told ANI.
He said traders had repeatedly asked NDMC’s senior officials to examine original allotment documents before initiating action. According to Mehra, the civic body proceeded with the demolition drive before undertaking such a review.
Mehra further claimed that Khan Market had not witnessed any visible encroachment issues during its decades-long history and described the action as unfortunate. He also said traders had raised the matter with BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj and were seeking further discussions with officials.
While the signage removal drive has generated concern among visitors and restaurant patrons, businesses across Khan Market, including The Grammar Room, continue to remain operational.
