The Indian restaurant industry has been making incessant efforts for years to get some relaxation in licensing norms, which they have at last gotten. Alongside, the formation of a high-level committee of senior officials to boost the hospitality sector is surely a big development and relief, but they are hoping that the proposed changes, like permission for open-air dining and licenses for 24X7 operations (for NDMC areas), are executed without any further delay.
Reports say that the committee will focus on reducing the number of licenses, tweaking and deleting archaic regulations, minimizing documentation, bringing in time-bound approvals and promoting self-regulation, and simplifying the entire process through a single-window system.
Members of the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) also held a meeting with authorities recently and reiterated their concerns over open-air dining and the requirement of multiple licenses to run operations. “We are very positive and hopeful about this committee. It has happened in the past that some very progressive steps for the hospitality sector have been announced, but the execution takes ages and gets stuck in a lot of paperwork, but this time the LG has said that he wants to promote the nightlife economy, and we are excited that someone is seriously looking into matters like complicated licensing norms to promote our businesses.
Currently, getting a license is a very laborious and time-consuming process involving many different departments, and it is a big deterrent for new entrants in the industry. A single window for licensing will also help the industry, which has to deal with various authorities for the procurement of licenses.
Licenses for 24×7 operations will be a big boost for Delhi’s nightlife. Last month, it was announced that 314 establishments, including online food delivery services, would be allowed to operate 24×7 in the city.
A source from the hospitality industry says, “This was announced last month, and many establishments (apart from the 314 services allowed) have applied.” “We are eagerly waiting for licenses and permissions and are hoping that some of us will be able to go ahead with 24×7 operations within just a few days.”