As the coronavirus pandemic continues to inject its way to a number of states all across India, significant steps have been taken by national-level authorities in the interest of public health and safety. In an unprecedented move, the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) has asked over 5,00,000 lakh member restaurants across the country to shut operations till March 31.
Why Has The NRAI Taken The Decision To Shut Restaurants All Across India?
The NRAI committee announced the decision on Tuesday after consulting various city-specific chapter members. Anurag Katriar, President of NRAI, on Tuesday, said, that the decision of advising member-restaurants to close all outlets was taken to ensure the health and safety of all its employees. He also said that NRAI will never be able to survive the guilt if any fatality occurs due to the widespread pandemic.
The shutdown, which was to begin yesterday, is expected to last till March 31 and affect thousands of bars, pubs, cafes, and eateries across India. It has been undertaken as a preventive measure against the spread of the coronavirus and to protect the interest of its employees and guests.
The decision for restaurants to shut doors is purely voluntary, and not mandatory. While restaurants chains like First Fiddle, which operates Lord of The Drinks, Warehouse Cafe and Tamasha, among others, have decided to shut down all outlets, several others said they would take time to decide.
Also Read: 2 Popular Delhi Restaurants Close Doors Till March 31! Will More Follow?
Huge Losses Expected For The Food Industry Due To Coronavirus
In a 2019 report, the association had said the Indian restaurant industry employed over 7.3 million people in the year 2018-19 and has contributed ₹ 18,000 crores in taxes. The shutdown, if implemented seriously, will lead to huge losses for the industry but it is the duty of responsible corporate citizens to take such a measure for the safety of employees as well as customers, Katriar said.
While malls have been asked to shut down in most parts of the country, several large chain restaurants operating in malls have already shut operations, with only their standalone restaurants running.
With restaurants shut, food delivery business might be expected to grow. Did you know Zomato & Swiggy To Provide Contactless Food Delivery Service Amidst Coronavirus Outbreak
However, how delivery apps like Zomato and Swiggy will deal with the dilemma of protecting its employees and containing the virus, is something only time will tell!