GURUGRAM: The Haryana government on Saturday allowed restaurants, bars, gyms, spas and club houses to operate at full capacity, provided these commercial establishments followed social distancing norms and other Covid-appropriate behaviour. Cinemas and multiplexes were also permitted to operate at 100% seating capacity.
As Covid cases have been on the lower side for the past several weeks now, the government asked residential universities to prepare a schedule for students to return to campuses in phases. The state, however, stopped short of lifting the lockdown and extended it by a fortnight till November 28.
Since July this year, single screens and multiplexes had both been running at 50% capacity. Owners welcomed the move, saying it would help them tide over the losses incurred during the two subsequent lockdowns.
“We suffered huge losses. In the past year and a half, we had been shut on most days. When we opened, we were told to operate at only 50% capacity. All the shows of the recently released Sooryavanshi were full. Had the decision been announced a week ago, we could have garnered considerable revenue. But we are happy with the government’s decision. We are hoping to make some profits this month as there are a few big movies lined up now. We will follow strict Covid protocols, like we have been doing for so long,” said Sanjay Barjatya, the regional head of Miraj Cinemas.
Owners of restaurants, which have been allowed several relaxations in their timings over the past few months, are still waiting for corporate houses to call employees to offices. “In a city like Gurugram, office workers form the major chunk of our customer base. So far, only 10-15% of the corporate crowd have been visiting the eateries near their offices. We have been getting families and local residents and the business is about 70% of what it used to be. Gurugram has a huge corporate base and we are hoping normalcy in terms of attendance will return by this year,” said Gagan Vashisht, the owner of Dhaba 29.
For social gatherings, however, the cap stays. In indoor areas, no more than 200 people would be allowed at a time. In open spaces, the number of guests can be up to 500.
Despite the reducing numbers, the Gurugram administration warned people against letting their guard down. “The government has been easing restrictions in phases. However, people should continue to stay alert. The wedding season is here, so gatherings will happen. It is extremely important for people to take all precautions while attending such events,” deputy commissioner Yash Garg said.
