Omicron scare: Covid curbs extended in Delhi till Dec 31
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The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Wednesday extended Covid curbs in the national capital till December 31. Curbs include a ban on social and cultural gatherings and a restriction on the number of people allowed in a bar and restaurant at a time. The move is expected to limit Christmas and New Year Eve's celebrations and has been taken in light of the Omicron scare in the capital.
The DDMA stated in its order that the currently permitted and restricted activities in Delhi will continue up to the intervening night of December 31 and January 1.
With the Covid situation in the city improving, the DDMA had permitted most activities under a phased reopening. However, political, social, cultural, religious, and such other gatherings are still not permitted.
The restrictions include a cap of 50% of seating capacity at bars and restaurants, restrictions on banquet halls to hold events other than meetings and conferences, exhibitions, and marriages.
The decision will have a large impact on the year-end celebrations in the city as hotels, bars, restaurants and banquet halls used to be packed during this time of the year pre-covid. Restaurant owners were also hoping to recover the losses incurred during the pandemic in this peak season.
"Multiplexes, cinema halls, buses - everywhere 100% capacity is allowed. So what have we done to deserve this? It is disappointing. We were hoping to come out of the losses that the industry has suffered during the pandemic but now it looks difficult," said Rahul Singh, owner of Beer Café.
The threat of the Omicron variant is understandable but singling out restaurants and bars to ward off the fear of the spread of infection is questionable, he added.
"We have had some bookings for Christmas and New Year and we will have to refund the money of some customers and that will be a loss for us. Of course, regular customers will be given preference in bookings," said Joy Singh, co-partner of Raasta and Yeti.
