From Our Bureau
NEW DELHI: Thanks to a resolve by Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor (LG) Vinai Kumar Saxena, Delhi will become a city that never sleeps from the next week ahead of Diwali as the nightlife in the national capital will allow more than 300 business establishments to operate 24×7.
They include restaurants, hotels, online and delivery shops, transport services, logistics and other essential commodities. The LG wants it done latest within seven days by granting exemption under Sections 14, 15 and 16 of the Delhi Shops and Establishment Act, 1954 to as many as 314 establishments.
He took a “very serious view” of an inordinate delay, adhocism, randomness and unjustified discretion on the part of the Labour Department in the disposal of applications made by the firms for the exemption.
The LG has also ordered to allow the business establishments to apply online to get the exemptions to operate 24×7. He has also ordered that there should not be such delays in clearing the applications in future by developing a mechanism for transparent and effective monitoring.
The LG has ordered issue of a notification within seven days to let the establishments remain open all the time, while ensuring that the employees and guards are not exploited.
He told the officials that promotion of the nightlife in the national capital will boost employment generation and promote a positive and a favourable business environment that is prerequisite for the economic growth. He has also asked Delhi Police Commissioner to increase the police surveillance to prevent crimes in the darkness of night, an excuse given by police in forcing most of the eateries and other establishments to shut down at 11 PM.
The government sources said the LG was annoyed that as many as 18 applications for keeping the establishments open in the night were pending since 2016 while there were 26 applications in 2017, a whopping 83 in 2018, 25 from 2019, in 2020 and as many as 74 in 2021 that were not processed by the Labour Department on time.
These applications were kept pending for no reason as records show only one application in 2017 and another one in 2021 were processed and approved in a display of unexplained discretion on part of the Labour Department. The LG has ordered a probe to verify a possible corruption angle in it, by ascertaining reasons for pendency of applications and the responsibility be fixed and suitable action taken against the erring officials.
