36 approvals needed before opening a restaurant in Bengaluru

Want to open a restaurant in Bengaluru? Be ready to do the rounds of civic and police authorities as starting a restaurant requires an entrepreneur to seek 36 approvals.

Compare this with just four approvals required to start a restaurant in Singapore and China to get an idea of the hurdles an entrepreneur has to clear before setting up shop in India.

The Economic Survey, presented to Parliament by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, flagged these issues to make a case for doing away with some unnecessary controls in starting new businesses.

Delhi and Mumbai fare better for a aspiring restauranteur would require 26 and 22 approvals respectively from civic and police authorities before setting up his establishment.

Also Read: Delhi Police ask for 45 documents for opening restaurant, only 19 for a gun: Economic Survey

Moreover, in India, only the list of licenses and permissions can be obtained from a government portal or information center.

On the other hand, in New Zealand, the website of Auckland Council, operated by a private third-party agency, has all detailed guides and stepwise procedures about permissions, fees and timeline to open a restaurant, the Survey said.

The website of the Auckland Council is also equipped with ready-to-use business plan templates and comprehensive information on different businesses irrespective of the scale of
business.

“The contrast reflects a difference in approach – government control versus curation/ partnership,” noted the Survey, authored by Chief Economic Advisor Krishnamurthy Subramanian, making a strong case for easing of controls.