Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has approved a proposal for 29 more establishments to operate on a 24×7 basis in the capital, taking the number of such establishments to nearly 500.

Aimed at promoting a conducive business environment in the city and providing a fillip to its nightlife, proposals to this effect had been pending since 2016 with the first among them getting approval in the year 2022.

The approved establishments include hotels and restaurants and those dealing in food, grocery, dairy and FMCG products in addition to readymade garments, provision stores, logistics, warehouses and sports goods among others

According to L-G House officials, 314 such applications were approved in October last year followed by 155 more in June 2023. The total number of such proposals which have taken off is 498.

Under the programme, establishments are allowed exemptions under Sections 14, 15 and 16 of the Delhi Shops and Establishments Act, 1954 that enables commercial establishments to operate on a 24×7 basis subject to certain conditions around the welfare of labour and security among others

While approving the latest proposal, Saxena noted that his direction to expedite the process of developing a ‘single window system’ for the registration, amendment and exemption, has already been taken up with the Industries Department, the nodal department for such activities.