Restaurants in Delhi flag new headache: Delays in eating house licence

As per the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) estimates, more than 250-300 such licences are awaited by big and small restaurateurs across Delhi as of now, which include renewals as well as fresh applications. While the delay in renewals complicates other licences and paperwork, delay in fresh licences causes monetary setbacks for owners as they have invested huge amounts for setting up an eatery, said Kabir Suri, president of NRAI, and co-founder of Azure Hospitality.

The NRAI also puts the pendency at a staggering 80 per cent. “No less than 80-85 per cent of applications have been pending since April this year,” the association said, adding, “We are concerned if such tremendous backlog can be cleared over the next two months.”

A prominent Delhi-based restaurateur, who doesn’t want to be named, said, “It’s ironical that getting an arms licence in Delhi is easier than getting an Eating House licence. Apart from restaurants, many hotels and guesthouses are also awaiting lodging licences.” Not even one restaurant opened in the last 4-6 months has got a licence, he added.
OP Mishra, Joint Commissioner of Police (Licensing) said, “All the work is done on the unified portal online. There’s no delay from our side since we process such applications daily. The problem arises when restaurants don’t submit all files/documents we ask for. We have to send back such applications and they have to file again. We look for all permits, DPCC clearance, fire permits and other paperwork. We have even been sympathetic towards restaurants during the pandemic with the licences since their businesses were suffering. We only ask for all permits and documents to be in place to avoid any problems in the future. Due processing is done and the licence is given.”

However, restaurateurs said that ever since the system has become completely digital, the situation has become complicated. “Now, there is no interface or an official whom we can meet regarding the pendency of our applications or to answer their queries physically,” said another prominent restaurateur, who claims his three applications have been pending for six months.

“It only feels like while the customer interface has gone digital, the procedure on their side is still the same old, physical verification at each step,” he added.

Another restaurateur, who has been in the business for two decades, said, “Initially, the procedure just took a few hours since there were only 300-odd restaurants in Delhi. But now, there’s been an explosion in the food scene. Till 2019, it took two-three weeks, but now, post-Covid, with the system becoming completely digital, there’s no guessing how many months it can take. They have to perhaps set a timeline.”

Mishra adds, “As part of ‘ease of doing business’, licences are generated by licensing units for three years now, which used to be one year earlier. The issues of many licensees are also resolved in real-time when they are brought to our notice during the Friday public hearing.”