After Punjab's relaxation, dine-in facilities resume in Mohali restaurants, hotels

A day after the Punjab government allowed 'dine-in' at hotels and restaurants with upto 50% capacity, several eateries in Mohali resumed the facility on Wednesday.

District Magistrate Girish Dayalan ordered certain relaxations with immediate effect for the opening of restaurants, hotels, and other hospitality services in the district. The DM has maintained that violations of government guidelines and lockdown measures by such establishments would be punishable under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and violators would invite legal action under penal codes. 

Good decision

"It's a good decision by the government. All preparations have been done. The temperature of customers will be checked, sanitisation will be done and we are working with less staff," a hotel owner told ANI.

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Punjab govt extends relaxation

The Punjab government has allowed ‘dine-in’ facility in hotels and restaurants till 8 pm with 50% occupancy or 50 guests, whichever is less. In an order released on Tuesday, the government said the management would comply with the SOPs under which restaurants in hotels are allowed to serve food including buffet meals upto 50% of their seating capacity or 50 guests, whichever is less.

In addition, the restaurants would also be open to persons other than hotel guests but the timings for both the hotel guests as well as persons from outside would be till 8 pm. However the bars in the hotels shall remain closed but liquor could be served in the rooms and restaurants, as permitted under the excise policy of the State. 

The state had on June 6 issued guidelines for phased reopening of places of worship, hotels, restaurants, other hospitality services and shopping malls. In these guidelines the state government has relaxed the conditions for the opening of all types of hospitality services. However, restaurants and hotels were allowed to reopen without 'dine-in' facility.

(PTI Photo for representation)

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