Licence to bill

Get ready to pay more for your next restaurant meal and movie ticket, thanks to the MCD

Have plans for the weekend? The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) would certainly hope so. The civic agency's health department is planning a multi- fold hike in trade licence fee for commercial units. This includes coffee houses, restaurants, banquet halls, hotels, theatres, multiplexes, clubs, gyms and swimming pools.

In a meeting with health department officials, additional commissioner AJ Kurien proposed to hike the fees of various trade licenses. "The decision will be passed by the standing committee. We are a little apprehensive about this proposal," said a senior MCD official, seeking anonymity.

According to sources, the licence fee has not been hiked for several years. But the final decision would be taken by the standing committee.

"This is only a proposal by the department. We will discuss it with the team but the final authority is the standing committee. We will follow what they decide," said Dr VK Monga, Chairman, Health Committee, MCD.
While some retailers plan to pass on the burden to customers, others feel the impact will not be too much.
"Of course, we will charge more from the customers. But if the hike is not very much then it will not make a difference," said Manik Kapoor, Owner, Gola Sizzlers, Connaught Place.

"It will surely affect us. We will have to charge our customers more. This would be the only way to recover our money," said Sushant Sharma, Proprietor of Fitness Point Gym, Rajender Nagar.

The opposition is predictably planning to protest.u00a0"We'll definitely oppose this. Delhiites will have to pay more and we will not accept this," said Jai Kishan Sharma, Leader of Opposition, MCD.