UP ponders over extending bar hours

The Uttar Pradesh government has formed an exclusive five-member committee with the aim of deliberating over the extension of working hours for bars and pubs in its popular cities of Noida and Ghaziabad.

As stated by Subodh Kumar, Excise Officer for the Noida district, the newly formed committee is said to have names like Excise Commissioner Adarsh Singh, Joint Director of Statistics Jogendra Singh, Deputy Excise Commissioner Alok Kumar amongst others on the panel. The awaited decision for the industry is said to be influenced by the demand to boost the state’s excise revenue as well as providing tough competition to the already flourishing nightlife of neighbouring cities of Delhi and Gurugram.

It was reported by The Times of India that the Noida Restaurant Owners’ Association also advocated positively for the cause, requesting an extension of working hours till 4 AM in the morning for the industry instead of the current timeline of closing at 1 AM. Various bar owners have claimed that the current timings affect potential business and that extending hours will lead to better and new revenue streams in the concerned areas. An example of New Delhi was also stated to justify the case as the capital region, which extended the working hours for its bars till 3 AM in 2022, has already seen a more significant input in their customers and revenue numbers. Gurugram, too, where bars have the option of operating 24/7 with appropriate licensing, has a flourishing nightlife to its credit.

The committee is considering the matter in detail and is said to announce a final decision within the timeframe of 15 days.