MCD grants license to 200 Delhi eateries for open air dining facility

Less than a week after the MCD allowed applications by restaurants and eateries to offer open air dining in terraces and open spaces attached to them, 200 establishments have been granted licenses

Less than a week after the Municipal Corporation of Delhi allowed applications by restaurants and eateries to offer open air dining in terraces and open spaces attached to them, 200 establishments across the capital have been granted licenses.

Taking an average of 3-4 days to process the applications, the MCD is granting 25-30 licenses per day. It has received 250 applications till now. Of the licenses granted so far, 155 are for open space dining and the remaining 45 are for terrace dining, a MCD source said on Thursday.

Delhi LG V.K. Saxena had, on October 30, constituted a committee of senior officials of departments concerned to ease and facilitate the licensing requirements of restaurants, eating houses, and hotels to provide an overall fillip to the hospitality sector, by paving the way forward for late night dining, alfresco eateries and dining in open air and terraces.

The Committee submitted its report in 15 days, whereafter the MCD started inviting applications for open air dining. The source said that LG has been insisting upon promoting moves that would provide boost to economic activity, employment generation and 'Night Time Economy'.

He held many meetings over the last one month with officials of Delhi Police, Local Bodies and Environment Department amongst others, to ensure that a enabling regimen is put into place for the hotel industry.

"We are hopeful that the changes and amendments brought about through the report of this committee will not only come as big relief to the pandemic-marred hospitality industry, but more importantly, also provide a major boost to the 'Night Time Economy', the source said.

--IANS

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