Tourism Breaking News
At the FHRAI–HRANI Summit 2025, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announces major reforms to streamline licensing for hospitality businesses, including third-party fire audits and a forthcoming single-window system for approvals.
Delhi Chief Minister Smt Rekha Gupta has announced that hotels and restaurants in the National Capital Territory will soon be permitted to obtain fire licences through third-party audits, marking a significant shift toward ease of doing business for hospitality operators. The reform is part of a wider plan to introduce a single-window licensing mechanism covering approvals from MCD, DDA and the Delhi Government.
The decision follows a fire review meeting where the new administration identified a backlog of pending fire-licence cases. The Chief Minister says these legacy issues are now being prioritised and resolved.
At the Summit 2025 – Viksit Delhi, Viksit Tourism & Hospitality, jointly organised by FHRAI and HRANI, the Chief Minister also advised hotels and restaurants to install mist-fogging systems to help reduce local pollution levels and lower water consumption. Fogging operations have already begun at select locations and will expand across the city.
FHRAI President Surendra Kumar Jaiswal presented the industry’s sustainable alternative to anti-smog guns — a dry-fog technology that reduces water use by nearly 90% while improving air purification. He welcomed the government’s policy direction, noting that the scrapping of mandatory “Eating House Licences” and police clearance earlier this year, along with new reforms, demonstrates a serious commitment to reducing industry bottlenecks.
The Chief Minister also emphasised Delhi’s ambition to position itself as a hub for events, conferences and tourism, stating that the government is focused on improving the capital’s image after years of stalled policy progression. She added that Diwali’s recent inscription on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List further strengthens Delhi’s cultural profile.
The summit additionally showcased Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) from seven states, enabling direct engagement between agriculture producers and hospitality buyers. HRANI’s Sustainable & Responsible Tourism Chair, Ankita Jaiswal, highlighted the importance of these linkages for strengthening regional identities and supporting local livelihoods.
Keynote speaker Dr Neeraj Kharwal, IAS, Managing Director, ITPO, stressed the need for sustained policy support, infrastructure development and simpler processes to boost Delhi’s growth prospects as a tourism and hospitality centre.
The event concluded with Special Awards of Excellence recognising industry leaders, followed by technical sessions on Repurpose Used Cooking Oil (RUCO) by EC Oil and a presentation by ONDC on digital enablement for hospitality businesses.
