FHRAI and HRANI Presents Delhi CM Alternative for Fogging at an Affordable Cost

New Delhi, 10 December 2025- The Chief Minister of Government of NCT of Delhi, Smt. Rekha Gupta, on Wednesday announced that Delhi will shortly permit a third-party audit for fire license and also make sure that a single window licensing regime is put in place for hotels and restaurants within the ambit of NCT of Delhi. Further, elaborating on a third-party audit, Smt. Gupta explained that such an audit would be a key step towards ease of doing business for hoteliers and restaurant owners.

Subsequently, steps and measures would be initiated to facilitate issuance of other licenses from MCD, DDA, and Delhi Government through a single window system which are required by the hotels and restaurants. As regards the third-party audit for fire license, the decision to this effect was taken at the fire review meeting of NCT of Delhi, in which it was also discovered that the previous governments had kept critical issues like issuance of licenses pending, the Delhi Chief Minister pointed out, adding that such pending cases are being attended on priority by the present government.

Inaugurating the summit 2025 - Viksit Delhi, Viksit Tourism & Hospitality: Together Towards a Viksit Bharat , jointly organized by the Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) and Hotel and Restaurant Association of Northern India (HRANI), the Chief Minister also disclosed that to take on the issue of rising pollution in the NCT, it is advised to the hoteliers and restaurant owners to install mist fogging on the top of their properties as the move will help curtail pollution and lower down water consumption in such localities where the hotels and restaurants are situated.

The mist fogging has already commenced in and around Delhi in certain prominent places, and this exercise will be further expanded in other parts so as to drastically curtail the pollution, pointed out the NCT Chief Minister.
In the meanwhile, President of FHRAI Mr. Surendra Kumar Jaiswal has presented the Associations' initiative on substituting anti-smog guns with sustainable pollution-mitigation alternatives at an affordable cost, which uses dry-fog technology as it improves air purification while reducing water usage by nearly 90%. Its lightweight design and ease of installation make it a practical and scalable solution.

The Chief Minister of NCT also assured the hoteliers and restaurant owners on the occasion that many more reformative steps would be taken to make sure that NCT of Delhi becomes a hub for events and conferences, so that the city becomes so renewed that each visitor exploring India does not miss visiting Delhi.

The Chief Minister mentioned that Government of NCT of Delhi wants to ensure a positive image for the National Capital, as the past dispensations in power have hardly taken measures for the development of the National Capital, and BJP, since it has returned to power after a gap of 27 years, is committed to project Delhi as a city that attracts every visitor.

Ms. Gupta concluded her remarks by saying that with the efforts of Prime Minister Modi, the festival of Diwali has been enlisted in the UNESCO list, which is an achievement of scale and we should popularize Diwali across the world.

Mr. Surendra Kumar Jaiswal, President, FHRAI, appreciated the seriousness with which the present Government of NCT of Delhi has been taking policy decisions for hospitality industry, as in a single stroke she scrapped the mandatory "Eating House License" and police clearance for the industry, and now has assured that through third party audit, fire licensing would be honored and multiple licensing would be made available through a single window system.

To strengthen hospitality- agriculture linkages, the Summit also featured an exhibition of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) from 7 different states, showcasing an extensive range of regional and GI-tagged products. Speaking about the FPOs engagement with the hospitality sector, Ms. Ankita Jaiswal, Chairperson, Sustainable & Responsible Tourism, HRANI & UPHRA, expressed that this initiative holds a special place in her heart because it bridges a long-standing gap between Farmer Producer Organisations and hospitality. She emphasised that this event is not just about sourcing produce; it's about strengthening identities, enabling growth, and giving farmers the recognition they have always deserved.

The exhibition brought the authentic farm produces and overall hospitality industry face-to-face, creating an unprecedented space for real sourcing conversations, product sampling, and business negotiations. Last month also, FHRAI had successfully organised a similar exhibition, in partnership with Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, featuring 50 FPOs from 17 states, which received wide coverage.

While delivering the keynote address, Dr. Neeraj Kharwal IAS, Managing Director, ITPO, emphasized the importance of sustained policy support, infrastructure expansion, and improved ease of operations to strengthen the sector's growth outlook.

The formal proceedings concluded with a gratitude speech by Mr. Garish Oberoi, Honorary Secretary, FHRAI and Past President, FHRAI & HRANI, who expressed gratitude to the Chief Guest and the Guest of Honour for undertaking progressive reforms on ease of doing business, especially by scrapping the mandatory "Eating House License" and police clearance for serving liquor, streamlining licensing, shifting responsibility to civic bodies like MCD, and introducing a new Draft Industrial Policy to boost MICE tourism via PPPs and skill development, aiming to reduce red tape, cut costs, and foster growth in the hospitality sector. He also acknowledged the support of government dignitaries, partners, speakers, media, and participating members for making the summit a success.

A high-level panel discussion titled "Branding Delhi for Growth Opportunities" was moderated by Mr. Ashwni Kumar Goela, Area General Manager, Rajasthan & Agra, Radisson Hotel Group, South Asia, and General Manager, Radisson Blu Plaza Delhi Airport. Panellists included Dr. L. R. Verma, Municipal Health Officer, MCD; Mr. Kamal Kant Pant, Principal, IHM PUSA; Mr. Rajan Bahadur, CEO, Tourism & Hospitality Skill Council; and Chef Rakesh Sethi, Corporate Chef, Radisson Hotel Group. The discussion focused on destination branding, urban cleanliness and safety, skill alignment, sustainable tourism practices, pollution-control measures, and strengthening Delhi's image as a visitor-friendly city capable of catering to both domestic and international travellers.

The inaugural session also featured the presentation of Special Awards of Excellence in Hospitality, recognising individuals and organizations for operational excellence, innovation, sustainability initiatives, and workforce development. The eminent awardees include Ms. Jyotsna Suri (Chairperson & Managing Director) The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group; Mr. Amaan R Kidwai (Area General Manager Luxury Hotels (North) & General Manager, ITC Maurya; Mr. Sushil Vaishnav, Founder ECOIL- Sustainable Hospitality ; Mr. Tarun Thakral (Executive Director) & Ms. Meena BHATIA (Vice President & General Manager), Le Meridien; MR. Vinod Gulati, Managing Director, Gulati Restaurant ; Mr. Virendra Teotia, Director, Umrao Hotels & Resorts Pvt. Ltd.; Mrs. Ashwani Kumar Goela, Area Vice President Operations & Area General Manager, Radisson Blu Plaza Delhi Airport; Mr. Abhishek Sadhoo, General Manager, Shangri-La Eros; Mr. Manik Kapoor, Director, The Claridges Hotel; Mr. Rohit Arora (Area General Manager), The Park; Mohammad Shoeb, Associate Vice President North India, Pride Hotels Limited; MS. Preeti Makhija, General Manager, The Leela Palace New Delhi; Mr. Rakesh Sethi, Corporate Executive Chef, Operations, South Asia, Radisson Hotel Group; Mr. Manik Kapoor, Director, Gola Sizzlers And Mr. Sunil Lamba, Managing Director, Kwality Group

Subsequent technical sessions included a presentation on the Repurpose Used Cooking Oil (RUCO) program by EC Oil, highlighting food-safety and circular-economy practices, followed by an overview of the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) by Mr. Rishi Gupta, Category Lead, ONDC, focusing on digital enablement and market access for hospitality businesses.

Other eminent personalities from the hotel industry, including Mr. Amarvir Singh, EC Member, FHRAI & Hony. Secretary, HRANI; and Mr. Pranay Aneja, EC Member, FHRAI; were also present in the audience, reflecting strong support for the Summit's objectives.