In a major relief, Delhi govt allows restaurants to operate round-the-clock

In a major relief to city restaurants amid COVID-19 outbreak, the Delhi government on Wednesday said they will be allowed to operate round-the-clock and the requirement of tourism licenses will be removed.

Setting an example of Delhi Model' of ease of doing business, the government also announced other measures such as initiation of a process to abolish police licenses and health trade licenses from local bodies for restaurants, an official statement said.

The decisions were taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The meeting was also attended by restaurants owners of the national capital.

The government said such steps will help the industry generate more employment in the city through higher demand, adding that this will set an example for the Delhi Model of ease of doing business.

"On the request of restaurateurs to allow 24x7 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," the statement stated.

The chief minister also instructed that the health trade licenses issued by municipal corporations to the restaurant industries be abolished within 10 days, it said.

During the meeting, the excise department agreed to review the existing policy of a 10 per cent automatic increase in the license fees every year.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who also attended the meeting, called for the restaurants to be able to pay their excise by March 31 from the existing deadline of February 28, and for them to make quarterly license fee payments without any interest, the statement added.