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Punjab: New curbs on gatherings dashes hopes of wedding industry revival
The banquet hall owners said that the industry was already getting a tepid response from people when the government had restricted gatherings in marriage function to 50 and now this decision will force them to shut premises
A day after the Punjab government has imposed a complete bar on all public gatherings while restricting social gatherings to five and marriages/other social functions to 30 instead of the current 50, city’s wedding organisers on Tuesday said that there is not even flicker of hope for the industry.
The banquet hall owners said that the industry was already getting a tepid response from people when the government had restricted gatherings in marriage function to 50 and now this decision will force them to shut premises.
President of Marriage Palace Welfare Association Amarjit Singh Sant said, “Even after weddings were allowed to recommence under strict guidelines, we received a poor response from people. With the new guidelines, the state government has dashed hopes of revival for the industry. The impact on the industry will be felt for years to come.”
The owners said that with just 30 guests they would be able to recover their operational costs.
According to the new rules, the management of marriage palaces/hotels shall be held responsible and shall face suspension of licence in case of violation of norms. Further, the management of marriage palaces/hotels/other commercial spaces will have to certify that adequate arrangements for ventilation of indoor spaces have been made.
President of Hotels and Restaurants Association, Amarvir Singh said, “Banquet hall owners will have to incur more fixed charges than their profits. The government should rather announce that marriage functions are not allowed in palaces and hotels.”
Owner of Kohinoor Hotel at Pakhowal road, Pritam Singh said, “It seems that the decision to open marriage palaces and banquet halls has been taken to collect revenue from owners.”
Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal opposes new guidelines
State general secretary of Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal, Sunil Mehra, and district President, Arvinder Makkar slammed the state government by stating that 50 persons are allowed to travel in congested buses, but are allowed to gather in wedding functions.
Mehra, however, applauded the government’s decision taken by state government wherein the government lifted home quarantine rule for those visiting state for less than 72 hours.
