Bengaluru: Hotel owners write to CM Yediyurappa, seek curfew relaxation

Bengaluru: The National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) and Bruhat Bangalore Hotels Association have appealed to the government to relax curfew timings.

In a letter addressed to Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, BBHA president P.C Rao and NRAI Bengaluru chapter head Manu Chandra, said "Most of us have still been unable to service liabilities and payments due to the impact of lock down in 2020, and the curfew being clamped with effect from 10 April, will further expose us to catastrophic losses, bringing into question our very survival and the employment of lakhs."

"We are following the stringent protocols laid down by the State and Central governments, including operating at 50% capacity, regular testing of staff, sanitation, and all other mandates. But imposition of curfew from 10 p.m. will effectively mean cessation of our operations by 9 p.m. This will eliminate the largest chunk of our revenues that are generated in the evening hours. It will also lead to a situation where the potential of a dining rush will not be compressed into fewer hours. making safe operations more challenging," the letter explained.

The hotel associations have requested the government to relax curfew on dining till 11 p.m. and allow delivery till midnight. "We have run out of all options to post any level of recovery. As one of the largest employers of human capital in the State between the structured and unstructured sectors, we form the backbone for many single breadwinners," Rao and Chandra said.