The 75-year-old Hotel And Restaurant Association (Western India) or HRAWI has welcomed the state government’s decision permitting shops, hotels, restaurants, and other establishments across Maharashtra to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The decision, announced via a circular dated October 1, is what they call a “landmark development”.
“This decision empowers businesses with greater operational flexibility while directly benefiting local communities through job creation. It is a reform that recognises the needs of the industry and will have far-reaching positive implications. This step is especially pertinent to Mumbai’s aspiration of becoming a truly global city and perfectly complements the national vision of Viksit Bharat 2047,” said Jimmy Shaw, president, HRAWI.
The Association believes the measure will also reinforce Maharashtra’s position as one of India’s premier investment and tourism destinations. Calling the reform “visionary”, Pradeep Shetty, HRAWI spokesperson, said, “This will create employment opportunities and tourism inflows too.” Shetty added, “I see this working well when the city gets divided into zones/districts which has a conglomeration of establishments, maybe of some entertainment, shopping and restaurants open late or through the night itself. We do have Gen Z and the new age workforce that tends to work till the wee hours and would like to unwind after that. The party hoppers will still need to wait, though, as the relaxation currently excludes excise-licensed establishments serving or selling liquor.”
Shetty added, “Every entrepreneur will, of course, need to gauge the feasibility of keeping their operations on; every business comes with risks. We also now have to move the focus to the implementation bit.”
To a question about apprehensive locals who fear parking problems and noise, Shetty said, “There is some understandable apprehension from residents about how this will affect parking, the noise, etc, but it is up to the restaurateur/establishment to strike that balance between ensuring a harmonious co-existence between their place of business and the locality.”
When asked whether this closed the gap, to some extent, between food aggregators who did deliver till extremely late, etc, and brick ‘n’ mortar restaurants, he did agree. Questions about safety have also been asked, but Shetty said, “There are apprehensions about safety, too, but I can say that with more persons on the road, safety will be enhanced. Our members will observe responsible tourism and ensure this is a win-win for all.”
In the end, Shetty said, “It gives the industry leverage; it is an enabler and will catapult our city into a truly global one.” He concluded, “Mumbai banega Singapore? Mumbai banega Shanghai? Let us just say Mumbai banega global city. Bon Appetit or very early morn Appetit.”
