Considering the festive season’s heightened demand in the hospitality industry, the Maharashtra government has granted permission for hotels and restaurants in the state to extend their operational hours until 5 am, as opposed to the usual 1:30 am. This relaxation will be applicable on December 24, 25, and 31.
While it is customary for the state government to ease regulations during the Christmas and New Year period, the decisions are typically announced at the eleventh hour, posing a challenge for establishments to make necessary preparations in advance.
“It’s a regular feature every year for the government to allow hotels and restaurants to stay open till 5 am. We wanted the government to give that permission in advance so that we can prepare accordingly. We are happy that the government has decided it in advance,” says Sukesh Shetty, president of AHAR, a trade body of restaurateurs in the state.
Earlier, the Hotel & Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI), in its appeal to the government, sought a swift decision to afford the industry adequate time for preparation and the organization of exciting activities around the upcoming festive days for their patrons.
Reacting to the government decision, Pradeep Shetty, president of HRAWI said, “This is a welcome move. It will definitely help the public plan their celebrations. We anticipate a lot of domestic travel this New Year and Christmas too. Hotels will gear up for a responsible and safe Christmas and New Year celebration.”
Agreeing that the decision of extending opening hours was something that happened every year and this year’s timing was a welcome change, Anurag Katriar, past president and trustee of the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), said, “These are the days when people come out to celebrate and it gives us a chance to, really get those extended hours of business when the consumption is higher and people are spending money, which is great for the trade. While I welcome this whole heartedly. I also believe the time has come for India, to now really look at 24/7 hours of commerce.”
