The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has implemented a new trade licensing regime that allows for the instant issuance of permits for 67 categories of food-related businesses, effective immediately. This initiative aims to simplify the licensing process, enabling applicants to generate an 'instant license' in just 5-10 minutes by submitting their Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) certification and paying the required fee. However, the license will only be deemed final after a verification period of 21 days. This new system is expected to significantly increase the number of licensed health trades, which currently stands at around 13,000. The MCD has also updated guidelines from 1964 to better reflect modern food business practices, including provisions for cloud kitchens and other contemporary establishments. While the instant licensing process has been introduced, MCD officials emphasize that license holders remain responsible for complying with fire safety and other statutory regulations.