Updated: September 24, 2020 9:46:24 am
On Wednesday, Shivajinagar constituency BJP MLA Siddharth Shirole, who is also a restaurateur, wrote to Thackeray, urging him to lift “unfair restrictions” on restaurants.
WITH continuing restrictions on their businesses, restaurant owners in Maharashtra have started running from one pillar to another to get permission to start dining services. The state government had allowed restaurants to open on June 1, but only for takeout and home delivery, with a full embargo on home food services.
Several associations have written and met with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Senior Deputy Minister Ajit Pawar, noting that the closure has put the restaurant business in a precarious condition and, unless they are allowed to operate at higher capacity, with canteen services, many will be forced to close the store.
Restaurant owners noted that when the state government has allowed state transport buses (MSRTC) and city bus services in Mumbai (BEST) and Pune (PMPML) to almost full capacity, ongoing restrictions on restaurants do not have sense, especially when the restaurant owners have promised that they will ensure social distancing and sanitation within their premises.
On Wednesday, Shivajinagar constituency BJP MLA Siddharth Shirole, who is also a restaurateur, wrote to Thackeray, urging him to lift “unfair restrictions” on restaurants.
“While hotels, public transportation and shopping malls may reopen with gatherings of similar people, restaurants have been subject to unfair restrictions. Although the first months of restrictions were understandable, the restriction of dining services, even after the central government’s notification to relax the restrictions, is really detrimental to the survival of the restaurant industry, ”wrote Shirole, who also posted a memorandum that he gave her. the Pune Hotel and Restaurant Association (PRAHA).
PRAHA Chairman Ganesh Shetty said that while states such as Karnataka and Punjab have allowed restaurants to provide dinner service, the reluctance of the Maharashtra government to do the same, despite Union government guidelines, was hard to understand.
“Restaurant union representatives from across the state are meeting with all potential government officials, from local MLAs and ministers to clerks and the CM itself. In Pune, we also met with (the head of the CPN) Sharad Pawar and Deputy Supriya Sule. We have requested that they allow us to serve dining facilities at 40 percent of the restaurant’s capacity. Restaurants cannot sustain themselves on takeout and food deliveries alone, ”Shetty said.
According to a report from the ‘Indian Restaurant Industry-Mid Covid-19’ survey, presented by the food ordering app Zomato, nearly 40 percent of restaurants may close permanently due to disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Among this lot, dining out restaurants would be the hardest hit, while takeout and delivery kitchens would not be as affected, according to the survey.
📣 The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay up to date with the latest headlines
For the latest news from Pune, download the Indian Express app.
© The Indian Express (P) Ltd
.
