NEW DELHI: Aiming to create employment opportunities, besides enhancing economic activities in the national capital at night-time, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday granted permission for 32 more shops and commercial establishments to operate round the clock.
The Labour Department of city government had proposed the plan regarding the operability of these establishments for 24 hours a day. These commercial establishments belong to categories of commercial, retail trade or business, and provision stores.
The government said all these establishments must strictly adhere to the provisions and rules of the Delhi Shops and Establishments Act, 1954. The government will keep strict vigil over them to ensure that no violation of rules take place. The proposal has now been sent to the Lieutenant Governor (L-G) for approval.
The government further said that compliance with Sections 14, 15, and 16 of the Delhi Shops and Establishments Act, 1954 is mandatory for these commercial establishments. For instance, women employees will not be permitted to work in any establishment between 9 pm to 7 am during summer months, and between 8 pm to 8 am in winters. Shops must be open and closed within stipulated periods, and violation to this may lead to closure of the establishment.
Different areas may have different timings for opening and closing commercial establishments, and owners will have to adhere to those stipulations. Under the Delhi Shops and Establishments Act, 1954, the Labour Department received 52 applications requesting to operate round the clock.
The department thoroughly examined the applications and relevant documents. Of these, 20 applications did not meet the requirements and were not considered. All 32 applications that met the criteria were approved for 24-hour operation.
In the past few years, there has been a significant increase in the number of permissions granted for the operation of 24-hour shops and commercial establishments in the city. The Chief Minister periodically approves commercial establishments that meet specific criteria. With approval granted to 32 more establishments, the total number of shops operating round the clockis 667.