PINAKI MAJUMDAR
Jamshedpur, Aug 6: People have started going out for lunch and dinner in hotels and restaurants as usual in the steel city.
The hospitality sector which was hard hit due to the Covid-19 induced lockdown is gradually looking up.
Things seem to return to normalcy with hotels, restaurants and other food joints witnessing a good occupancy during the last few days.
The recent relaxations announced by the state government allowed reopening of hotels, restaurants and other food joints after about four months. The relaxations enabled hotels and restaurants to open during weekends and weekdays.
The operating time was also increased to 10 pm from 8 pm, resulting in an increased business.
The average occupancy in most of the hotels in steel city inched upto around 60 per cent from 40 per cent. The business in restaurants and other food joints have also increased considerably during the past five days, revealed sales data available from various local restaurants.
The re-opening of restaurants is a key ingredient of the overall Food and Benerage ( F&B) revenue . It accounts for about 40 to 50 per cent revenue for most hotels.
” Many people prefer to dine in restaurant of hotels that are trustworthy as compared to standalone ones,” commented Anil Khemka, a hotelier who owns Hotel Yashwee International in Sakchi and a Restro Bar at Ambagan locality.
Hotel Yashwee International also houses a sports bar, which is the first if its kind in the state.
He said the guest occupancy has increased, But, it will take much time to makeover for the loss incurred during the lockdown in the first two waves of Covid-19 pandemic.
Officials of several hotels said that they have been somehow managing things like payment of staff salary, electricity and other overheads.
” The state government should have announced some sops for hotel industry. We were much hopeful in this regard,” said a member of Jamshedpur Hoteliers Association.
Though commercial activities in steel city have picked up some momentum, most schools are yet to open for Class IX to XII.
Apprehensions of a possible third wave is still tormenting the minds of the people. District health authorities have again started random Covid test at Sakchi and several other places.
District authorities have appealed people to continue follow Covid appropriate behaviour and not to lower the guards.
