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Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Cinema hall licensing shifted from Delhi Police to revenue department
Clearance from Delhi Police to acquire licences for operating cinema halls and theatres will no longer be required, as lieutenant governor (LG) VK Saxena in a fresh directive shifted the authority to the Delhi government's revenue department, officials said on Saturday. Cinema hall owners and industry insiders have largely welcomed the move. (PTI) The order, issued on Friday, is aimed at promoting ease of doing business in the Capital by bringing accountability into regulatory change follows a series of reforms initiated by the LG in recent months, including a significant decision last month to divest the police of licensing powers for seven other business categories, including eateries, hotels, and guest houses. The licensing of cinema halls and theatres, earlier governed under the Cinematograph Act, 1952 by the Delhi Police, will now fall under the purview of a district-level committee chaired by the concerned district magistrate (DM) or deputy commissioner (DC). The committee will scrutinise applications and grant licences based on the technical and safety recommendations of a multidisciplinary team. A senior official in the LG secretariat said that the committee will comprise the deputy commissioner of the respective Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) zone, a structural engineering or building expert nominated by the secretary of the Delhi government's Public Works Department (PWD), a fire safety expert nominated by the chief fire officer, Delhi Fire Service, an electrical systems expert nominated by the secretary of the government's power department and a representative from the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), nominated by the DC. 'LG Saxena has also issued firm instructions to the commissioner of Delhi Police, directing the Delhi Police to completely disengage from any matter related to licensing under the Cinematograph Act, with immediate effect. This direction marks a shift in the city's licensing framework, removing the enforcement agency from regulatory functions and placing them under civil administrative control,' he said, asking not to be named. Saxena in the order said that the 'continuation of multiple authorities exercising the same power under Section 11 of the Cinematograph Act, 1952, is becoming a hindrance in achieving the goal of ease of doing business and increases compliance burden'. The move ensures 'minimum government and maximum governance', as it does away with multiple licensing regimes. The order states that Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court have previously said that the 'existing system of police granting licences should be abolished'. In June, the LG, in a similar directive did away with the requisite of Delhi Police licensing clearance for seven other types of trades — hotel/motel/guest houses, all eating houses or restaurants, swimming pools, discotheques, video game parlours, amusement parks, and auditoriums in the Capital. Trade confederations, industries and stakeholders welcomed the latest move, saying it is likely to simplify regulations and reduce multiple licensing and NoC burden. Cinema hall owners and industry insiders have largely welcomed the move, describing it as a much-needed and long overdue reform. 'For years, we were forced to approach multiple departments and go through protracted inspections, often confronted with conflicting directives,' said the manager of a leading multiplex chain, requesting anonymity. 'Introducing a single-window system coordinated through the District Magistrate's office brings much-needed clarity and predictability to the process,' the manager added. 'There have been repeated complaints from stakeholders, particularly from the hospitality and entertainment industries, about delays, corruption, and excessive scrutiny under the previous police-led regime,' the officer cited above said. The restructured framework is also expected to bolster safety and compliance standards and by mandating input from subject matter experts in structural engineering, fire safety, and electrical systems, the licensing process will now emphasize technical soundness alongside regulatory approval.
India Gazette
10-06-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
"In five Years, Delhi will be so beautiful everyone will praise the decisions taken": LG VK Saxena
New Delhi [India], June 10 (ANI): Delhi's Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena said on Tuesday that the newly inaugurated Sadbhavana Park, which is over 16 acres near Rajghat, will serve as a milestone for residents of Old Delhi. He added that multiple development projects are coordinated with the Centre and the Delhi Government, including focused efforts to clean the Yamuna River. Speaking to media persons, LG Saxena said, 'This is an important place in Delhi... It was thought that this area should be developed. Ever since the new government was formed in Delhi, the spring of development has started. This park is spread over about 16 acres, and it will be very beneficial for the people....' 'A very good time has started for Delhi. All the governments are working towards making Delhi beautiful, clean and developed. In 5 years, Delhi will be so beautiful that everyone will think that the decisions taken for Delhi were very good. Delhi will embark on a new path of development,' he added. LG Saxena said, 'Very few places in Delhi provide this space and environment. Our effort is to ensure that Delhi residents get clean, open areas. Gardens are being developed, and the path has been beautified.' LG Saxena also mentioned, 'Many more such development programmes will be initiated in Delhi in the coming days under the leadership of the Chief Minister.' Meanwhile, the Delhi Chief Minister also spoke about Yamuna's cleaning efforts, claiming that 20 million metric tonnes of silt had been cleared from the river bed in three months. 'Earlier governments lacked seriousness on this issue. We have now surveyed all the drains entering the Yamuna using drones to measure flow and plan improvements. Around 20 million metric tonnes of silt have been cleared in the past three months. Work has also started on 40 decentralised ATPs, and Rs 4,000 crore is being spent on upgrading existing STPs. Once this work is completed and drains are treated, cleaner water will be released into the Yamuna. That will mark the beginning of actual rejuvenation,' she said. 'A positive phase has begun for Delhi. The Central Government, Delhi Government, and MCD are all working with a common goal of making Delhi clean, beautiful, and developed. I believe that within five years, Delhi's transformation will be visible, and people will see that the right decisions have been made for its future,' she told media persons. (ANI)
Time of India
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Dwarka gets sports centre with world-class facilities
New Delhi: Delhi Development Authority (DDA) on Thursday opened its first Centre for Excellence at Dwarka Sector 8. The facility was inaugurated by lieutenant governor V K Saxena .DDA said the sports centre, spread over 23.3 acres, is designed to nurture promising young athletes by offering world-class training infrastructure comparable to international sporting venues. "Specialised training facilities and professional coaching will be provided for boxing, wrestling, weightlifting and Taekwondo," said a DDA complex offers an extensive range of indoor and outdoor games as well. The indoor facilities feature a state-of-the-art gymnasium and dedicated spaces for table tennis, yoga and aerobics. The outdoor facilities include six synthetic turf courts each for lawn tennis and badminton, four each for basketball and pickleball, and two each for netball and complex is also equipped with an open-air gym, a dedicated jogging or walking track, and an Olympic-size swimming pool measuring 50m x 25m. Future expansion will include a combined football and hockey ground, a synthetic athletic track, a skating rink, a speed track, and a children's park."There is a modern conference hall with high-speed internet and audio-visual equipment, with a seating capacity of 100, as well as a cafeteria, a restaurant and banqueting facilities for recreational purposes," said the is also on at three other sites -- the Centre of Excellence for aquatics at Rohini Sector 33; the Centre of Excellence for tennis and shooting at Dwarka Sector 19; and the Centre of Excellence for football and hockey at Dwarka Sector the launch of the CoE on Thursday, LG Saxena echoed the goal of 'Fit India Movement', launched by PM Modi in 2019, which aims to encourage children and youth to actively participate in sports and incorporate fitness into their daily lives through various physical DDA operates 17 sports complexes, which have a total membership of 53,386 members, excluding dependents, and are used by over 2 lakh people monthly. A total of 158 coaching schemes are operational at these complexes.
