Restaurants in Delhi suffer as market association ask them not to allow customers inside to eat
Jun 10, 2020
New Delhi [India], June 11 : Restaurants have opened across national capital after relaxations in the coronavirus-induced lockdown but owners of restaurants located in Delhi's Pandara Road Market are suffering financial losses as these restaurants have been asked by market association not to allow the customers to sit and eat in the restaurant in view of the safety of the people.
Aman Arora, owner of a restaurant said there is only 15 to 20 per cent business, now.
"People are not coming to restaurants because they are fearing of getting infected from coronavirus. Market associations have not allowed us to arrange sitting facilities inside for customers. At this time, there is only 15 to 20 per cent business. The situation is bad, Government should focus on this sector and announce some concrete package, otherwise, we will suffer," Arora told ANI.
Prem, another restaurant manager said that 'all business is closed'.
"However, the market association itself has decided that the restaurant will not allow customers to eat sitting inside the restaurants. This has been done for the safety of the people. Only packing arrangements have been made and payments are being taken online only so that the distance between customers and restaurant staff is maintained," he said.
Chand Mohammad, who has been running an Ice cream shop in Pandara Road Market for nearly 20 years, said that this season there is no crowd of people.
"Earlier people used to wait for their orders. But now the situation is completely reversed. Nobody is willing to come here. Few people come and go after packing or everything is dependent on online. In such a situation, there is a worry about how the family will move in the future," he said.
Hotels, restaurants, and other hospitality services, except the ones in the containment zones, have been allowed to open from June 8, as per the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for graded re-opening of COVID-19 lockdown.
