rom fast-food outlets and chai counters to pharmacies, grocery stores and paan shops, the city’s 24×7 commercial footprint is expanding. (Express Photo/Enhanced using AI)
Chandigarh may have secured permission to stay awake, but the city’s businesses are discovering that staying open through the night is another matter altogether.
Nearly two years after the administration launched its 24×7 commercial operations initiative, almost 200 establishments are now on the list: from McDonald’s, pizza outlets, and chai counters to pharmacies, grocery stores, paan shops, and petrol pumps. The number of establishments opting for 24×7 operations has risen more than threefold from the initial 48.
“We are encouraging people to register for 24×7 commercial operations under ease of doing business in the city. Women’s safety and adherence to labour laws are two key aspects under this initiative, which we are fully ensuring by coordinating with the department concerned, including the Chandigarh Police,” Nishant Yadav, Deputy Commissioner, told The Indian Express.
What Chandigarh’s 24×7 list looks like
The list of nearly 200 establishments paints a picture of a city trying to build a late-night economy that goes well beyond traditional nightlife.
Major fast-food chains feature prominently. McDonald’s, KFC, Domino’s, Pizza Hut and Subway have multiple outlets listed for 24×7 operations across sectors including 8-C, 15-C, 22, 35-C, 40-C, 47-C, Manimajra and the Industrial Area.
Tea, too, has found a place in the city’s round-the-clock experiment. Chai Sutta Bar, along with Punjabi Chai, Desi Urban Chai, and Audi Chaiwala, features on the list, adding a distinctly local flavour to the late-night food economy.
Desserts and quick-service outlets are also part of the mix, with establishments such as Baskin Robbins, Theobroma Foods, The Belgian Waffle Co and Superdonuts among those listed.
Sector 8-B emerges as a late-night cluster
One neighbourhood that repeatedly stands out is Sector 8-B.
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Its 24×7 establishments span a wide range of food options, from Baba Chicken, World of Wings and Tikka World to The Belgian Waffle Co, Cakes & Stuff, Superdonuts and El Mexicano.
The concentration suggests that Sector 8-B could emerge as one of the city’s more prominent late-night food clusters — provided there is enough customer demand to sustain these operations.
Not just about food
The 24×7 list also points to a broader night-time economy.
Grocery and convenience stores, pharmacies and delivery-related establishments have also opted for round-the-clock operations. Blink Commerce has several establishments listed across sectors including 17-B, 34-A and 37-D, while Chandigarh Pharmacy in Sector 11-D is among the pharmacies on the list.
Even paan shops and petrol pumps feature. DP Paan House in Sector 15-D, Pandey Paan and Confectioner in Sector 8-C and Nankhu Pan & Confectionery in Sector 44-D have submitted undertakings for round-the-clock operations. Indian Oil outlets in sectors 7 and 33 and a Bharat Petroleum outlet in Sector 21 are also on the list.
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Taken together, the entries suggest that Chandigarh’s 24×7 experiment is evolving from an attempt to keep a few essential or high-demand businesses open into a wider after-midnight commercial ecosystem.
But will customers stay awake too?
The bigger question, however, is whether the growing list of establishments translates into a sustainable late-night economy.
For businesses, staying open through the night means additional manpower, higher electricity and operational costs and, in many cases, separate staff for night shifts. Several entrepreneurs who initially attempted round-the-clock operations say the limited late-night footfall did not justify those expenses.
“Some people I know had also tried keeping their outlets open round the clock, but they could not sustain it for long,” said Abhishek Bajaj, who owns Sindhi Sweets, a chain of shops.
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Some eventually stopped operating through the night after finding that revenues failed to cover the additional costs.
“Delhi and Gurgaon, however, have an advantage because public transport connectivity continues through the night and several companies and offices operate round the clock, creating a steady stream of people even during late hours. Chandigarh does not have the same ecosystem yet,” Bajaj added.
Hina Rohtaki is a Special Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Chandigarh. She is one of the most prominent journalists covering the Chandigarh Administration, civic issues, and the unique political status of the Union Territory.
Professional Background
Experience: She has been in the field for over a decade and is known for her investigative reporting on administrative waste and urban governance.
Awards: She is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award, which was presented to her by the President of India in January 2020. She was also awarded the Jethmalani prize (The Will of Steel Awards) in 2025 in the Empowerment category for a series of articles that highlighted the struggles of Covid widows.
Core Beat: Her primary focus is the Chandigarh administrative structure, the Union Territory's financial management, and urban development projects.
Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
Her recent work highlights a focus on government accountability, administrative expenditures, and civic trends:
1. Investigative & Financial Reporting
"Fuelling power: Senior UT IAS officers guzzled petrol worth Rs 30 lakh in 2 yrs" (Dec 14, 2025): An investigative report detailing the high fuel bills of top bureaucrats, including the Finance Secretary and Chief Secretary’s staff.
"Admn spends Rs 1.5 crore on dismantling road railings and fixing again after increasing height" (Dec 8, 2025): Highlighting administrative waste on "non-viable" solutions for pedestrian control.
"Chandigarh’s finances under ministry’s watch now" (Nov 27, 2025): Reporting on the new requirement for MHA approval for all new projects in the UT.
2. Governance & Constitutional Status
"What will it mean for Chandigarh if it is brought under Article 240?" (Nov 24, 2025): An "Explained" piece on the potential constitutional shift that would grant the President more power over the UT's governance.
"MP Manish Tewari moves Bill seeking directly elected Mayor with 5-year tenure" (Dec 6, 2025): Covering the legislative push to reform Chandigarh's municipal leadership structure.
"No proposal to increase Mayor's term in Chandigarh by 5 years: Centre" (Dec 10, 2025): Reporting on the Union government's response to demands for a longer mayoral term.
3. Urban Infrastructure & Environment
"Chandigarh admn cuts power to India's tallest air purifier, asks firm to dismantle it" (Nov 17, 2025): A critical report on the failure of a high-cost environmental project deemed "of no use" by experts.
"UT rethinks 24/7 water supply project as costs soar" (Nov 26, 2025): Detailing the financial challenges and delays in modernizing the city's water network.
"Centre 'obfuscating, covering up' MC's shifting deadlines for clearing Dadu Majra dump" (Dec 12, 2025): Reporting on the ongoing controversy surrounding the city's major waste dump.
4. Lifestyle & Local Trends
"Chandigarh turns into a Thar city as women fuel the surge" (Dec 2, 2025): A feature on a unique automotive trend in the city, with a record 600 registrations by women drivers this year.
"After fivefold spike in 2023, EV sales struggle to pick pace in Chandigarh" (Dec 2, 2025): Analyzing the slowdown in electric vehicle adoption despite previous surges.
Signature Beat
Hina is known for her meticulous tracking of RTI (Right to Information) data to expose administrative inefficiency. Her "Ground Zero" reporting on the Dadu Majra garbage dump and her scrutiny of the Chandigarh Smart City projects have made her a key figure in the city’s civil society discourse.
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