Restaurants in Haryana can operate 24x7; move to give city night life a boost

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Dushyant Chautala said late Tuesday, a development many restaurant owners said would give a significant boost to revenues and night life in cities like Gurgaon and Chandigarh, which have a large young population. “There will be no restriction on restaurants to close at night; no one can force them to shut down,” the minister said at a state-level meeting of multiple departments. Industry executives welcomed the development, stating that the move would be a win-win for all stakeholders.

“We have been advocating to various state governments on the need to have restaurants that serve 24x7, since a vibrant nightlife economy makes cities safer,” Rahul Singh, Trustee of the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), which represents over 5 lakh members, said. “With round-the-clock offices, 24x7 restaurants are a respite to families. In return, the state earns higher taxes and generates local employment,” Singh added.

Mumbai already has such a policy in place. Some others are of the view that operation costs for fine-dining formats would increase and that consumer turnout would have to match the costs for the 24x7 outlets to be profitable. Saurabh Khanijo, managing director of Asian cuisine chain Kylin said: “This policy will definitely enhance the culture of the city, but operation and workforce costs would go up significantly.