Round Table Conference on calls for round-the-clock business

Metro India News | Hyderabad 

The Swatantrata Center, in association with Political and Democratic Reforms, organized a policy roundtable conference titled “Round-the-Clock Business in Indian Cities: Policy Implementation, Vendor Protection & Economic Freedom” at the Press Club, Somajiguda.

The Swatantrata Center highlighted the need to implement G.O. Ms. No. 04, issued by the Telangana Government in 2023, which provided for round-the-clock business operations. Ranjith Kumar Duguntla, Co-founder and Director of Operations, Swatantrata Center, suggested that district headquarters across Telangana with high populations should be granted flexibility to decide operational timings locally.  

Participants including T. Chiranjeevulu, Retd. IAS Officer stressed that worker rights, women’s safety, public transport, zoning, sanitation, pedestrian infrastructure and stakeholder consultation must remain central to any 24/7 economy policy. The roundtable proposed a national and state-level Digital Single Window for permits and fee processing, stronger legal protection for micro-vendors and gig workers, and expansion of night-time operating hours to Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.  

The Swatantrata Center stated that Hyderabad’s experience could provide a scalable model for cities such as Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Ahmedabad and Kolkata, while also opening new opportunities in cities such as Warangal, Karimnagar, Suryapet, Nalgonda and Mahabubnagar.