In a move aimed at enhancing the image of Bengaluru as a tech capital, hotels and restaurants in the city will soon be allowed to operate round-the-clock. This decision comes following a meeting between Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and members of the Bruhat Bengaluru Hotels' Association, where the long-pending demand to keep establishments open 24x7 was discussed.
The Bruhat Bengaluru Hotels' Association has been advocating for this change for some time, and their proposal was positively received by Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar during the meeting., "If everything goes well, an order allowing hotels and restaurants to be open round-the-clock might be issued within a week or 10 days." Association President PC Rao was quoted as saying after the meeting in an The New Indian Express report.
The move is expected to benefit employees working night shifts, auto and cab drivers, and others who may require services during unconventional hours. Additionally, it is seen as a complementary step towards the ambitious Brand Bengaluru initiative.
Currently, Bengaluru is home to over 24,000 small and large hotels, with approximately 10% of them ready to operate 24x7. The association members further revealed that there is also interest among many establishments to open new hotels and restaurants exclusively during night hours.
Addressing concerns raised by the police regarding security issues, Rao explained that Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar believes that the demand to keep hotels open round-the-clock will have a positive impact on various segments of the workforce and support the Brand Bengaluru initiative.
During the meeting, the association members also urged Shivakumar to consider granting "industrial status" to the hotel sector. They proposed a simplified licensing process, advocating for a single license to replace multiple licenses such as trade and Food and Safety Standards Authority of India, in order to streamline operations.