Soon, shops in Chandigarh may be able to stay open 24x7

According to the proposal, which will be submitted to the Chandigarh administrator for approval, shopkeepers will be free to open and close their shops at any time convenient to them

As a major step towards encouraging ease of doing business, the UT administration has proposed allowing shops in the city to remain open round-the-clock, through the year.

According to Chandigarh administration’s proposal, every shop employee will entitled to one day off every week and no deductions will be made from their wages. (HT Photo)

According to the proposal, which will be submitted to the UT administrator for approval, shopkeepers will be free to open and close their shops at any time convenient to them.

Vinod P Kavle, secretary of food and supplies, consumer affairs, and legal metrology, UT, said, “We are finalising the proposal for submission to the UT administrator within a week. The motive is to ease the process of doing business on the pattern of Punjab.”

In March 2021, the Punjab government had allowed shops in the state to remain open 24 hours a day.

According to UT’s proposal, every shop employee will entitled to one day off every week and no deductions will be made from their wages.

The maximum number of working hours is set at nine per day and 48 per week. Employees must be paid overtime wages beyond this and new staff should be hired for the extended hours. After every five hours of continuous work, a one-hour rest period must be provided.

In cases where the establishment is open after 10 pm, adequate safety and security arrangements must be provided to employees and visitors.

A list of holidays for each month has to be posted on the shop’s notice board in advance. Employees will be entitled to national and festival holidays with wages.