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While the Delhi government has allowed all pubs and restaurants to serve liquor till 3 AM, the city police have stalled the matter. According to a senior Delhi Police officer, the whole license conditions will have to be amended to allow restrobars in the city to open till 3 AM. It must be noted that restaurants' licence is approved by the licensing department of Delhi Police.
"The city police has not yet taken any decision about what needs to be done regarding opening of restrobars in the city till 3 am. Because the existing order is only till 1 pm and if it needs to be extended, then everyone's licensing conditions need to be amended," a senior police officer said.
Currently, pubs and restaurants can open in Delhi till 1 AM. However, to make city's nightlife more happening, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government granted permission to all pubs and restaurants serving liquor to stay open till 3 AM this month.
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had said that his government is coordinating with Delhi Police and other agencies for the safe implementation of the new timings.
Sisodia, who holds the excise portfolio, asked the department to extend the closing time of restaurants and to ensure no establishments are subjected to harassment if it stays open till 3 AM.
Among the neighbouring cities of Delhi, Gurugram has allowed pubs to remain open 24X7 while in Noida the pubs can operate till 2 AM by paying a certain amount of fee. The pubs and bars can serve liquor till 1 AM in Noida and Ghaziabad without any interventions.
There are around 550 independent restaurants in Delhi that serve Indian and foreign liquor on being granted an L-17 licence from the Excise department.
The restaurants within hotels and motels, numbering around 150, are already allowed to serve liquor round the clock. Such restaurants are granted an L-16 licence by the Excise department.
The Excise Policy calls for creating a conducive environment and improving conditions for smooth business.
Many of the conditions related to Excise operations in hotels, clubs, and restaurants need to be in sync with the present-day business and social perspectives, according to Delhi's Excise Policy.
The recommendations included rationalisation of licence fees, lowering the legal age of drinking from 25 years to 21 years, and doing away with the archaic rules related to not allowing music in independent restaurants.