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Dine-in allowed, but most restaurants waiting for staff to return from hometowns
PUNE With the Pune municipal corporation (PMC) allowing restaurants to operate dine-in facilities at 50 per cent capacity, hoteliers in the city are now waiting for staff to return from their hometowns
PUNE With the Pune municipal corporation (PMC) allowing restaurants to operate dine-in facilities at 50 per cent capacity, hoteliers in the city are now waiting for staff to return from their hometowns. Most restaurant staff in Pune returned to their native cities, towns and villages after the lockdown on the industry was announced in the first week of April.
The PMC order, issued on Saturday, stated tha, restaurants, bars, and food courts are allowed to open for dine-ins, at 50 per cent capacity, till 4 pm between Monday and Friday.
Post 4 pm and on weekends, home delivery and parcel services will be allowed until 11 pm.
A spokesperson from Roopali hotel on FC road, said, “We are yet to decide on starting dine-in on Monday. Parcels will continue as we have adequate staff for the delivery service.”
There are 8,500 restaurants in Pune registered with the hoteliers’ association, with a total staff of 60,000.
“It is a very good decision that the administration is allowing us to function at 50 per cent capacity. However, the order came on Saturday night and we will take two-to-three days for preparation before we start dine-in, “ said, Karan Kripalani, owner of Hippie@heart restuarant.
After the first Covid wave in 2020, the administration had allowed hotels to reopen with 50 per cent occupancy after October 5.
“We will start dine-in operations after four-five days as service staff is currently not available. I have staff members from Ratnagiri, Dapodi, Kolhapur, and Uttar Pradesh. Parcel service will continue,” said Santosh Shetty, owner of Swarnaa in Warje.
“It has been a year of too many ups and downs. The decision is welcome, but we hope we get the permission for 100 per cent occupancy soon,” said Abbas Ali, manager, Goodluck Cafe, Fergusson College road.
A spokesperson for a bar and restaurant on FC road said, “We will start the dine-in facility from Monday, as adequate staff is available with us right now. We are happy to resume our dine-in facility.
