Title - Maharashtra may permit 24/7 eateries near Mumbai’s railway stations

MUMBAI: The state government plans to permit eateries within 500 metres of important railway junctions like Churchgate, CST, Dadar and Andheri to operate through the night.Satej Patil, minister of state for home, said that there would be no relaxation in norms for restaurants or hotels where liquor is served. "We held a couple of meetings to implement the changes and will soon take a concrete decision," he said. "Many people in the city work till late night. Some miss their last trains and are forced to spend the night on or near railway stations. Mumbai is also an international destination. Many passengers landing in the city after stepping out of the airport do not get anything to munch. To ensure that the commuters, late-night moviegoers, employees delayed at work or those working in night shifts have the facility of tea, coffee, soft drinks and even meals, we are exploring this idea.''A few years ago, the state had planned to make the city a 24-hour shopping destination by keeping markets stay open through the night but the proposal was dropped as it would have led to massive power consumption.Currently, the title of the city that never sleeps is a misnomer due to archaic laws that govern the opening and closing hours of the hotels and restaurants under the Shops and Establishments Act, 1948. Currently, regular eating places operate till 12.30am, hotels serving liquor are allowed to remain open till 1.30am and discotheques in four-and five star hotels are allowed to stay functional till 3am.According to Patil allowing eateries to stay operational for the entire night will help the BMC in generating additional revenue. "Hotels will earn revenue by staying open the entire night. Hence, the civic body should make food joints an additional source of income and levy reasonable extra charges on the joints that operate round the clock," Patil said.The proposed move has been welcomed by citizens. Rahul Ketkar an employee with a call centre in suburban Mumbai, said, "Many people like me have to work in shifts. Not every management has canteen facility. Hence many who work in night shifts find it difficult to get food at night. Changing the rules will help people like me get a bite, or drink tea or coffee in the wee hours."