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Chandigarh: Four months on, only 65 shops willing to operate 24x7
Even though 13,098 commercial establishments are registered with the Chandigarh labour department, only a handful have opted to extend their operating hours
Nearly four months after the UT administration allowed shops to remain open 24x7, only 65 registered shops and commercial establishments have opted to extend their operating hours.
These shops, primarily in the grocery and food business, are located across different parts of the city.
On June 26, the labour department had issued a notification, allowing shops and commercial establishments registered under the Punjab Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1958, to operate 24x7 throughout the year without requiring specific permission from the labour department. The move was aimed at enhancing the ease of doing business.
Soon after, the labour department had released the detailed standard operating procedures (SOP).
Department’s secretary-cum-deputy commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh emphasised that the extended operational hours were completely voluntary, but only available to commercial establishments registered with the department, currently numbered at 13,098.
Also, before operating during extended night hours, shops and commercial establishments already registered under the Punjab Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1958, must submit a self-undertaking via the department’s online portal (labour.chd.gov.in), confirming that due arrangements, as per the terms and conditions of the notification, are in place.
Singh had highlighted that states like Punjab and Haryana had successfully implemented similar 24x7 notifications, and Chandigarh was well prepared to follow suit.
As per the SOP, the list of shopkeepers and traders opting for extended hours will be shared with the local SHO to ensure the safety of staff and visitors during night hours. Additionally, the list will be shared with the municipal corporation to maintain cleanliness and waste management.
To facilitate this transition, teams comprising six labour inspectors and additional staff were formed to raise awareness, and assist interested shopkeepers and traders. The labour department was also empowered to inspect and verify compliance with the notification’s terms and conditions, and any exemption could be revoked by the competent authority after providing a fair opportunity to be heard, in case of any violations.
The labour department had also shared its e-mail ID “alcld-chd@chd.nic.in” and phone number 0172-267-9000 for any complaints, following which the area labour inspector will address and take necessary action as per law.
Late-night security weighing heavy on traders’ minds
In July, the Chandigarh Beopar Mandal (CBM) had met SSP Kanwardeep Kaur, demanding adequate security to keep shops open 24x7.
“Since majority of traders in city are from small and medium category, running of shops during night hours will not be a practical and financially viable option unless sufficient population of city ventures out at night. This is only possible if there is an element of complete security among the public and shoppers,” the CBM delegation had said.
“Due to lack of viability and confidence about security factors, only a handful of shopkeepers have opted for the facility with the UT labour department till date. Traders need to be sure of the security steps to be taken by police through the night to encourage night life in the city,” they had added.
Speaking about the poor response even four months later, Arvind Jain, president of the Sector-22 Market Welfare Association, said shopkeepers were still not confident about security measures taken to facilitate round-the-clock operations. “With poor response from customers amid inadequate security measures, it is not financially viable to keep the shops open 24x7,” he added.
