New policy: Licence for dhaba owners

NEW DELHI: The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) will soon start issuing licences to dhaba owners who have their establishment on legal land. In addition to this, kiosk and stall owners can also get a licence issued by the MCD under the revised policy. They were not allowed to apply under the previous policy.
Earlier, kiosks and stalls that were less than 100 square feet in size were not eligible to apply for licences issued by the MCD.Due to this, a large chunk of street-food sellers were left out. "We have now liberalised the policy under which all such stall and kiosk owners can get a licence, but the structure where food will be cooked has to be covered,'' said a senior MCD official.
Earlier, Delhi High Court had asked the MCD to remove all road-side dhabas from the city that were on encroached land within 30 days from October 16, 2008. After TOI highlighted how lakhs of people depend on these dhabas for their livelihood, MCD had said it would come up with a policy for such eateries.
"The dhabas offer a quick bite to scores of people and hence we have decided to give licence to stall owners so they can sell food items such as rajma chawal, chole kulche among others. There are a number of people who rely on economical street food. In case a water connection is not taken by them, they will have to use potable water,'' said chairman of the standing committee chairman Vijender Gupta.