Addressing speculation about the cafe’s closure, The Grammar Room’s Chief Business Officer took a light-hearted tone on Instagram, saying, ‘It’s just never a dull day in hospitality.’
Published: August 12, 2026, 4:17 PM IST
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Shop signages are being demolished Khan MarketImage Credit: navknowsflavour/Instagram
After the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) launched an anti-encroachment drive at Delhi’s Khan Market catching the attention of food lovers after videos showing restaurant and cafe signboards being removed went viral on social mediaOne 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 usualThe issue arose following an NDMC crackdown on signage and encroachments that officials said were not compliant with the rulesThe move has faced opposition from traders and restaurant owners.
The reason for the removal of boards…
NDMC on Monday removed the signboards from several shops and restaurants in Khan Market, saying they were oversized and did not comply with the Outdoor Advertisement Policy (OAP), 2017The NDMC also took action against claddings and water motors installed near building boundaries, which it described as encroachments on public land.
Speaking to The Times of India, NDMC officials said the action was a joint exercise involving the enforcement, estate, architect and EBR departments and followed earlier discussions with market representativesThey also said notices had already been served over the signages.
According to the civic body, the drive was not a widespread crackdown across Khan MarketOfficials said action was initially taken against 10 to 12 complexes in a single row, with the rest of the market being asked to follow the regulations voluntarily.
What does the video reveal?
A video posted on Instagram by KLAP restaurateur Navdeep Singh Sethi drew widespread attention during the driveIt showed a JCB taking down the signage of well-known Khan Market cafe The Grammar Room.
In his post, Sethi described watching the Khan Market signage being demolished as “genuinely heartbreaking”He also wrote that while there was “chaos outside”, Khan Market was continuing to function amid the dust, noise and disruption.
After the video surfaced, several social media users assumed that The Grammar Room had closedResponding to the speculation, cafe Chief Business Officer Tanya Bhardwaj clarified through an Instagram Story that the restaurant remains open.
Bhardwaj clarified that The Grammar Room was open and serving customers as usualReferring to the video of the signboard being taken down, she remarked that it was “never a dull day in hospitality” and added that she was at the cafe for anyone who wanted to stop by for coffee.
Owners challenge NDMC assessment
The Khan Market Traders Association has raised objections to the NDMC actionIts president, Sanjeev Mehra, told ANI that the civic body’s assessment of alleged encroachments in the market needed to be questioned.
Speaking to ANI, Mehra said there was no large-scale encroachment in Khan Market, contrary to the NDMC’s assessmentHe said the civic body had only raised objections to some minor projections extending outward.
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According to Mehra, traders had asked senior NDMC officials several times to check the original allotment documents before starting the actionHe alleged that the civic body proceeded with the drive without first examining those records.
Mehra further said that Khan Market had not had any visible encroachment for the past 76 years and termed the action taken by NDMC as “very sad”He said the traders had also raised the matter with BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj, who, according to him, had no knowledge of the action.
“For the past 76 years, Khan Market has been a place where one would not find any visible encroachmentWhat happened yesterday was very sad, and we also objected to itWe told Bansuri Swaraj about itShe had no knowledge of itWho ordered it? NDMC has not given us any clarityWe have sent another letter to Bansuri Swaraj, asking her to visit here with officialsI think she will visit after the Parliament session and make a decisionWe do not want to oppose the government’s progressive moves, but there should be uniformityThe notice they had sent us was very vague,” Mehra added.
