Maharashtra government’s decision allowing Restaurants, Bars, Cafe’s Dine-in to resume services with 50 percent of their seating capacity, is a welcome step for the hoteliers, who are happy to be back in action. They are of the view that it may take some time for the business to be brisk.
“Maharashtra is one of the last big states to open restaurants and we are confident of bouncing back. People in Mumbai are happy that restaurants are reopening after more than 6 months,” Ajoy Balakrishna, Regional Director of North, Sarovar Hotels & Resorts said.
Govt has announced the resumption of Dine-in services under Unlock 5.0 and issued the Covid-19 safety guidelines for the restaurants and other eateries. Welcoming the decision, the hotel industry has expressed hope that it will also give employment to many.
“It’s welcome news, which was long awaited by the restaurant industry and employees. Nearly 7,00,000 people in Mumbai are working directly or indirectly in this industry. We at Radisson Mumbai are ready with all the prescribed safety and hygiene protocols to welcome our patrons back. It’s indeed a big day for all of us,” Santosh Singh, Hotel Manager, Radisson Mumbai Goregaon, said.
“We are opening from today with a lot of hope. Hopefully, the industry will rise and shine again. We need government’s support to sail through this difficult time. We should be allowed to get GST input. This move will help us survive,” Mukesh Kaushik, MD, Delhi highway Restaurants, said.
So many restaurants were not open as it was the first day. Customers are not easily entering restaurants. While The Daily Guardian found many people visiting Ram Krishna Hotel at Vile Parle East. Right at the entrance of the hotels, foot dispensers and sanitisers were installed, temperatures of the patrons were checked, their name and numbers were noted down and only after being found asymptomatic were they given access. Mask is by default compulsory.
Inside as per norms, social distancing was observed and alternate tables were available to customers. Importantly as per govt guidelines there was Menu Barcode on the table and a digital menu was available once the person scans that bar code, acrylic shields were placed at the delivery counter and cash counter to maintain physical distance. Staffers were seen with masks, hand gloves and head shields.
Chandrashekhar Shetty, owner of Ram Krishna Hotel, Vile Parle said, “We had a staff of 200 and now it’s only 50. Our senior staff members have to double their work. We are happy and have high hopes.”
“The option to re-open restaurants comes as a big relief to restaurateurs. Although it is a good development, not all restaurants are geared up to re-open today itself. We expect only around 30 percent of the restaurants to open and the rest will re-open only gradually through the month”, said Pradeep Shetty, Sr. Vice President, Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI).