Delhiites! The time has come to revive the old memories of driving up to your favourite eatery at 2 AM to grab some delicious vada pav, chole kulche or burger. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has issued directions for permitting restaurants to operate 24×7 with all the safety measures. At present, restaurants in the Capital are allowed to operate from 11 am to 11 pm. Those serving liquor can remain open from 11 am to 1 am. Delhi has nearly 20,000 registered restaurants, among which around 650 have licences to serve alcohol. Also, many Delhi restaurants are now offering outdoor dining with special social distancing measures.
Delhi Restaurants To Operate 24/7 Without The Requirement Of Certain Licences
On October 7, 2020, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal issued guidelines to allow restaurants to serve their guests round-the-clock. However, they will have to submit an undertaking ensuring that they will abide by all the health and safety measures. On top of that, restaurants in the city won’t be needing the heath-trade licence and tourism licence, as per the new directives. Also, the authorities will allow services in open areas such as balconies without any extra fees. Alterations in excise rules will allow flexibility in the storage of alcohol.
Kejriwal declared the directives after having a meeting with a delegation of the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), which was also attended by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Chief Secretary Vijay Dev and commissioners of the three municipal corporations, as per an HT report.
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The New Move Might Create More Employment Opportunities
According to the HT report, Delhi CM Kejriwal has said, “Delhi’s restaurants are the pride of Delhi and provide employment to lakhs of people. I have directed all the respective departments to remove unnecessary hassles in the smooth running of restaurants in Delhi.” The AAP government has also stated, “On the request of restaurateurs to allow 24×7 business, it was agreed that the restaurants will be allowed to operate at all hours subject to the condition that they submit an undertaking that they will take care of the health and security of their entire staff. This will help the industry generate more employment in the national capital through higher demand. This will set an example for the Delhi Model of ease of doing business.”
Reportedly, president of the Delhi Restaurants and Clubs Association, Dinesh Arora said that the licence-related relaxations and the freedom to operate 24×7 are a welcome move.
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Kejriwal is also planning to conduct another meeting to have a discussion about doing away with the licences that restaurant owners need to get from the police. The proposal for 24×7 restaurant operation is awaiting finalisation. Once implemented, it might also help eateries in recovering from the massive losses faced during the coronavirus pandemic. Meanwhile, Curly Tales had a conversation with NRAI President Anurag Katriar on the revival of the F&B industry: