Delhi’s banquet hall owners suggest measures for Covid-safe parties in meeting with CM

With the wedding season a little more than month away, the Delhi government on Monday started drafting SOPs to be followed by all banquet halls.

Longer buffet layouts with increased gap between dishes, skip-a-seat rule during parties to ensure social distancing, mandatory masks and staggered entry of guests are some of the suggestions offered by owners of banquet halls during a meeting with chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday to discuss standard operating procedures (SOP) to be followed by all such facilities in the national Capital.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal chairs a meeting with members of Banquet halls association of Delhi, in New Delhi on Monday, August 24, 2020. (HT Photo)

With the wedding season a little more than month away, the Delhi government on Monday started drafting SOPs to be followed by all banquet halls.

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The suggestions of banquet hall owners would be incorporated in the SOPs,which are likely to be issued by this week, senior government officials later said.

Representatives of the banquet halls demanded a relaxation on gatherings, which is presently restricted to 50 persons for weddings and 20 for funerals.

“We requested the CM to relax the number of guests at a function to 50% of the size of the banquet hall. So, if a banquet hall has a capacity of 500 people, then 250 should be allowed. The CM did not deny the request and said it will be considered,” said Ramesh Dang, president of Delhi banquet federation, who attended the meeting.

A senior government official, however, said any relaxation on the number of people will depend on the Centre’s Unlock 4 guidelines.

Dang said the SOP for banquet halls would include mandatory masks for all guests and staff and frequent sanitisation of all common areas, including the kitchen.

“To manage the crowd better, parking at banquet halls will have to be streamlined. It may now take longer for a guest to park their vehicles since the entry of guests at a function may also be staggered, especially at the time when the groom arrives at the wedding,” he said.

During the meeting, Kejriwal is learnt to have told all banquet hall owners that in case Covid-19 cases spike again, these facilities may be requisitioned so they can be converted into makeshift hospitals.

The chief minister also suggested that the representatives should create a common online platform where people can get the entire list of banquet halls in Delhi and book according to their choices.

“People should be able to access the whole list of banquet halls in Delhi. So, if they are put on a single website or a medium, people from other states will also be able to book banquet halls in Delhi and you all will get more business. The website will be promoted by the Delhi government. The market, industries and service sectors will be displayed on the website and the traders, industrialists and service sector professionals can easily take their businesses to the global level,” Kejriwal told the banquet hall associations.

Delhi has around 300 banquet facilities and most of them with multiple halls within their premises, taking the total number of halls to over 1,000.

“I agree that an SOP must be made and it will be done soon. I will hold another meeting with representatives of banquet halls in few days to discuss environmental and parking issues as well,” Kejriwal said during the meeting.