Now, ahead of Unlock 5.0, the Maharashtra government is all set to decide on allowing restaurants in the state to resume operations.
Chief Minister of Maharashtra Uddhav Thackeray recently held a meeting with the representatives of restaurant owners associations. In the meeting, he informed the stakeholders that the state government has prepared guidelines for the re-opening of the restaurants and sent them to the concerned authorities. A decision will be taken to re-open the restaurants soon, he said.
Thus in the Unlock 5, state government is likely to allow dine-in services.
Currently, due to a high number of COVID-19 cases in the state only take away services are allowed at restaurants in Maharashtra. The demand to start dine-in service has been long pending. Now the government may soon take the decision on this long-pending demand.
While speaking about the meeting, Sherry Bhatia, President, Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) said, “We thank the Hon Chief Minister – Shri Uddhav Thackeray ji, who today assured us that Restaurants will be allowed to reopen in the first week of October 2020."
"CM has also agreed to favourably consider HRAWI’s petition for the waiver of excise license fees for a period of 6 months, the duration for which establishments were required to be kept shut. Also, the deadline for deferment of payments towards the first instalment of the Excise Licence fee has been extended to 30th September which will bring restaurateurs big relief,” added Bhatia.
Earlier the central government has left it to states on whether or not to allow dine-in services at restaurants. Some states have already allowed services.
