TimesView Two factors which dictated how long cities stayed awake, and open for business, have changed radically. First, 9-to-5 is not the only office cycle; tens of thousands of denizens work in shifts and gigs which stretch till late hours. Second, commuting takes longer; more people are out now than before. Previous rules specifying operating hours for shops overlooked requirements of this large group — residents trying to make purchases on the way back, those with a need for latenight retail therapy, and those who don’t always want to order online or pay extra for morning delivery of groceries. New rules for stores to remain open 24/7 address this anomaly and could help traders clock up more business.

Small businesses not happy with 24/7 move

BENGALURU: The state government, in a recent notification, has allowed all shops and commercial establishments with 10 or more employees registered under the Karnataka Shops and Establishments Act, 1962, to operate 24x7.The October 11 notification, states that the latest permission for shops and establishments is only for three years, indicating that the decision will be reviewed. It also states that the employer must appoint additional staff “in order to allow every employee to avail his/her weekly off on a rotation basis”.A gazette notification in this regard will be issued soon. The state took this decision under provisions of the Act and made a partial modification to allow shops to operate 24 hours. Labour secretary P Manivannan told TOI this move is part of the government’s efforts to improve the ‘ease of doing business’.“We welcome the decision as it will allow shops and establishments to do non-stop business...” said CR Janardhan, FKCCI president.It will also help boost overall business in the city and state. However, one must ensure safety of workers and security of establishments,” said CR Janardhan, president, Federation of Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry.Trade unions, while welcoming the move, argued that the government must ensure workers are not exploited by employers given that several of these shops and establishments have an unorganised workforce.However, owners of smaller businesses and establishments in the city are unhappy with the decision.“This is a dangerous and unwarranted move. Only bigger brands and establishments will benefit, while smaller businesses, if they decide to stay open, will only suffer. Bigger brands and shops have additional manpower and they may need to simply create a shift-based work roster. Smaller businesses will have to hire more workers if they want to stay open 24x7,” said Bhoopalam Srinath, who runs a clothing shop on MG Road with a strength of 10 employees. He is also the president of Bangalore Trades Association, a 200-member organisation.Sohail Yousef, secretary, Brigade Road Shops and Establishments Association, said remaining open 24x7 will not improve daily business of shops in the city.“Shops will have to double their workforce to stay open 24x7. No small shop or business owner will make this decision to stay open all the time since it won’t improve business. On the contrary, it may make bigger holes in their pockets,” he said.