Good news! Restaurants can remain open round the clock in Haryana

Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala told officials that restaurants that want to remain open 24 hours can do so and no one should force them to shut

Restaurants in Haryana will be allowed to operate 24 hours a day, Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala said on Tuesday, PTI has reported. The news will make many restaurant owners happy as the decision is likely to give a significant boost to revenues and nightlife in metropolitan cities like Gurgaon and Chandigarh.

The decision was taken in a meeting of various departments chaired by Chautala. Labour and Food, and Civil Supplies Minister Anoop Dhanak was also present in the meeting, an official statement said.

Speaking at a state-level meeting attended by representatives from multiple departments, Dushyant Chautala said, "There will be no restriction on restaurants to close at night; no one can force them to shut down."

The office bearers of restaurant unions from across the state had recently met Chautala and demanded that the state government allow them to keep their establishments open 24 hours so that people can get food at their convenience, the report said.

Chautala told officials that restaurants that want to remain open 24 hours can do so and no one should force them to shut.

However, these eateries will have to register with the Labour Department and follow other terms and conditions of the Punjab Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1958.

People from the industry were happy with the decision, talking about the decision, a Trustee of the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) told The Economic Times, "We have been advocating various state governments on the need to have restaurants that serve 24X7 since a vibrant nightlife economy makes cities safer."

Maharashtra and Hyderabad already have policies that allow restaurants to operate round the clock.

(With agency inputs)