G20 effect: Delhi eateries to serve dinner till 2 am; will other states follow suit?

From January 26, around 55,000 hotels and restaurants in New Delhi will serve dinner till 2 am. Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has issued an order to this effect.

The decision has been taken based on the new licensing norms, which will allow 5-star and 4-star hotels to operate more than one restaurant round the clock, while eateries at 3-star hotels and those in other categories will be able to operate till 2 am.

The move is aimed at catering to the national and international visitors during the G20 summit being held in New Delhi this year. G20 meetings will be held at other state capitals as well. Now the question is, will the respective state governments in Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru follow suit?

Hospitality sector happy

The order was issued after careful consideration and consultations with all stakeholders. The hospitality sector is happy. These hotels will operate in two shifts. The move will also help sort out young graduates’ employment.

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Visitors to India Gate, National War Memorial, Parliament House, Central Vista, Red Fort, Qutub Minar, and famous religious places of worship like temples, churches, and mosques, can also have their dinner late in the night. Another interesting aspect is that 24/7 hotels have also been approved in much crowded places.

“All restaurants and eating places at 5-star and 4-star hotels, the ones within airports, railway stations, and interstate bus terminus premises will be permitted to operate on a 24-hour basis with additional fee. At 5-star and 4-star hotels, the ceiling of only one restaurant getting bar licence has been lifted. Five-star and 4-star hotels will now be able to obtain separate liquor licences for more than one restaurant and bar serving liquor within the hotel premises,” another official familiar with the development said, asking not to be named.

Easier licensing

In November last year, the Delhi LG set up a high-powered committee to ease licence requirements for restaurants and eateries and directed it to examine the existing regulations and suggest ways to expedite the licensing processes. After the submission of the report by the committee, several rounds of meetings formalised the liberalised regulations, said an official.

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The new trade licensing policy will mandate faster application processing, fewer documents to be submitted by applicants, and relaxation in operation timings. Saxena has approved the reforms, and they will come into effect after January 26, 2023, the official added.