Delhi: Have cafe in NDMC area? Pay more licence fees now

NEW DELHI: Applicants will need to shell out more as licensing fees for running restaurants, hotels and lodging establishments located in areas under the jurisdiction of New Delhi Municipal Council. On Saturday, NDMC revised the rates for various trade activities pertaining to financial year 2022-23.
An applicant will now need to pay Rs 15,000 per annum as licensing fee for a restaurant with more than 50 seats compared with Rs 13,100 earlier.This would be in addition to the one-time processing fees. For five-star lodging houses, the fees have increased from Rs 65,500 per annum to Rs 75,300. The increased rates are applicable from April 1 and delayed payment will incur a late fine.

However, the increase is minimal for other categories such as for meat shops, ice cream trolleys and sweet shops for whom the fees have gone up from Rs 1,300 to Rs 1,500, said officials. For coffee shops with up to 50 seats, the licence fee has increased from Rs 6,500 to Rs 7,500.
“The revised rates for the grant and renewal of various trade licenses will be implemented with effect from April 1, 2022, and the step has been taken in accordance with the council’s decision in August 2018,” said NDMC’s press statement on Saturday. “Under the decision, there will not be any increase for laundry, boiler, salon, hawking, dry cleaner, etc. In the rest of the categories also, the increase in fees is minimal from Rs 100 to 2,000 annually except in the case of 5-star hotels and lodging facilities.”
Atul Bhargava, president, New Delhi Traders’ Association, said that up to a 10% increase is acceptable provided NDMC sped up the renewal and issuance of new licences. “These have to be done in a time-bound manner and with minimum hassles for the convenience of everyone,” he said.
For clarity on the increase of health licence fees, people can visit NDMC’s website www.ndmc.gov.in, said an official of the civic body.
According to the order, in addition to annual licence fees, the one-time processing fee will be collected at the time of granting of fresh licences. However, late fees will be imposed in cases where the application was received after April 30. The licence, once issued, is valid for five years.
NDMC starts issuing and revising licences till April 1 for every financial year. “For the application for renewal received after April 30 and within one year of the date of expiry of the health licence, late fee charges are 5% of the licence fee for every month of delay,” said the in the NDMC order.