HIGHLIGHT:
• The government allows to start the malls and restaurants till 10pm.
• Only fully vaccinated people can get entry in malls.
• Owner are not satisfied by the response of the people on the first day.
• However the most of the people are not affected of age group of 18-45.
• So the staff members are expected and hoping that citizen who got their first dose of vaccine should allow soon
As the government have relax some restriction from various things, and allows to open the Malls, Restaurants until 10pm. However the government put the condition that only the fully vaccinated people are allowed in malls. Now the timing of malls and restaurants are extended till10pm, and even the staff member are vaccinated, but the most of the visitors are in the group of 18- 45. And there are very few people where are fully vaccinated.
The malls and restaurants are reopened after a gap of four months, then also they are facing a very low visitors has compared to pre-covid times.
Even there was very poor and low condition of restaurants as yesterday was a dry day on accounts of Independence Day.
Here’s a statement of Gurvineet Singh, CEO of Viviana Mall in Thane said:
“We welcome the move of the government to allow us to trade on Independence Day. However, the permission has come with riders due to which the business is going to be hit. Statistically, there are very few citizens in the 18-45 age group, our main clientele, owing to the minimum gap of 84 days. Also, the first drive for this age group began only in June. Lakhs of citizens are directly or indirectly dependent on the economic activity at malls across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.”
The statement of Shopping Centres Association of India (SCAI):
“Malls have been opened as per the government order. Given the restrictions on customer entry, footfall has been extremely low: 10-15% of pre-Covid levels. We have had instances where customers with a single jab were disappointed at being denied entry into malls. The government needs to reconsider this stance and allow customers with a jab to visit malls.”
The Viraj Mamania, a resident of Borivli, said “I was denied entry inside the mall in Kandivli considering I am not fully vaccinated.”
Senior vice-president at Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI),Pradeep Shetty, said: "We have appealed to the civic body and also the state that the condition of fully vaccinated staff for operating up to 10pm should be relaxed to at least one dose. We understand that it is our responsibility to get our staff vaccinated, but there is a gap of 84 days between two doses.”
He also added “Considering Sunday was the first day, the visits were fewer, but they will pick up considering the festive season and inquiries.”