The chief minister of Delhi, Rekha Gupta recently announced that Delhi will shortly permit a third-party audit for fire license and also make sure that a single window licensing regime is put in place for hotels and restaurants within the ambit of NCT of Delhi.
Further, elaborating on a third-party audit, Gupta explained that such an audit would be a key step towards ease of doing business for hoteliers and restaurant owners.
Subsequently, steps and measures would be initiated to facilitate issuance of other licenses from MCD, DDA, and Delhi Government through a single window system which are required by the hotels and restaurants. As regards the third-party audit for fire license, the decision to this effect was taken at the fire review meeting of NCT of Delhi, in which it was also discovered that the previous governments had kept critical issues like issuance of licenses pending, the Delhi chief minister pointed out, adding that such pending cases are being attended on priority by the present government.
Inaugurating the summit 2025 – Viksit Delhi, Viksit Tourism & Hospitality: Together Towards a Viksit Bharat , jointly organised by the Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) and Hotel and Restaurant Association of Northern India (HRANI), the chief minister also disclosed that to take on the issue of rising pollution in the NCT, it is advised to the hoteliers and restaurant owners to install mist fogging on the top of their properties as the move will help curtail pollution and lower down water consumption in such localities where the hotels and restaurants are situated.
Gupta also assured the hoteliers and restaurant owners on the occasion that many more reformative steps would be taken to make sure that NCT of Delhi becomes a hub for events and conferences, so that the city becomes so renewed that each visitor exploring India does not miss visiting Delhi.
Surendra Kumar Jaiswal, President, FHRAI, appreciated the seriousness with which the present government of NCT of Delhi has been taking policy decisions for hospitality industry, as in a single stroke she scrapped the mandatory "Eating House License" and police clearance for the industry, and now has assured that through third party audit, fire licensing would be honoured and multiple licensing would be made available through a single window system.
To strengthen hospitality- agriculture linkages, the summit also featured an exhibition of Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) from 7 different states, showcasing an extensive range of regional and GI-tagged products. Speaking about the FPOs engagement with the hospitality sector, Ankita Jaiswal, chairperson, Sustainable & Responsible Tourism, HRANI & UPHRA, expressed that this initiative holds a special place in her heart because it bridges a long-standing gap between Farmer Producer Organisations and hospitality. She emphasised that this event is not just about sourcing produce; it’s about strengthening identities, enabling growth, and giving farmers the recognition they have always deserved.
While delivering the keynote address, Neeraj Kharwal IAS, managing director, ITPO, emphasised the importance of sustained policy support, infrastructure expansion, and improved ease of operations to strengthen the sector’s growth outlook.