B’luru restaurants can stay open till 1 am

NT Correspondent
Bengaluru

The hoteliers’ association held ‘a positive meeting’ with police officials and the Department of Commerce and Industries on Tuesday in Bengaluru. However, the meeting did not take any decision on allowing the restaurants and other commercial establishments to open 24 X 7 in the meeting.

The police said the 2016 order that allows commercial establishments to stay open until 1 a.m. will remain in force in the city. The meeting was attended by Ramana Reddy, Ad d i t i o n a l Chief Secretary, Commerce and Industries Department, Ramana Guptha, Joint Commissioner (Crime), and several representatives of the Bruhat Bengaluru Hoteliers’ Association (BBHA), the Retailers’ Association of India, and fast-food chain restaurants.

The meeting also discussed many grievances and complaints and the results of which will be announced after further discussion with the government. “One thing that was promised was that a fresh notification regarding the closing time being moved from 11pm to 1 am without any disturbance will be released,” said P C Rao, President of Bruhat Bengaluru Hoteliers Association.

“We might not be able to shut up exactly at 1 am. If a customer walks in post 12:30am, before the service and closure, we might cross the deadline and the police will come knocking on our doors,” Rao said, urging 24/7 policy will allow restaurants to function with ease. Online delivery orders that come in late at night cannot also be rejected, he added. “When there is excess food, enough to provide for more customers,” Rao said.