Pune: PMC Releases Guidelines, Timing For Dine-in Services

Mehab Qureshi

Pune, October 4, 2020: Restaurateurs are gearing up to reinstate dine-in services after a shutdown of seven months. In this regard, owners had been awaiting orders from Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) after the Maharashtra government released standard operating procedures (SOPs).

PMC has decided to permit the restaurants from 8 am to 10 pm, which will be the same for takeaway services as well.

Hotels, Restaurants, bars will only be permitted outside containment zones 

Restaurants and bars will be open from October 5, Monday, with 50% capacity. The establishment will continue from 08:00 am to 10:00 pm.

All customers entering the premises should be checked by thermal screening near the entrance. Only customers who do not have symptoms related to COVID-19 should be allowed to enter.

Customers with symptoms like fever, cold, cough should not be allowed in the hotel, name, contact number, e-mail id, date, time, etc. Information records should be kept daily. These establishments should follow the rules of Social Destination while providing services or in the waiting area. 

 Customers should be allowed to enter the hotel only if they are wearing masks. Customers are required to wear masks in and around the premises, except while eating.

The concerned establishment operators must provide hand sanitizer to the customers—hand sanitizer for customer’s use of the waiting room, entrance, etc.  

Establishment operators should encourage customers to make payments through digital means whenever possible. Care should be taken while taking cash payments. The cashier should keep his hands clean. Restrooms and washrooms should be cleaned frequently and sanitized – Counter cashiers and customers should preferably have barriers such as Plexiglas screens. If possible, keep separate entrances and exits.  

If possible, keep doors and windows open and avoid the use of AC. If the user is mandatory, the system should be dehydrated from time to time. If possible, portable high-efficiency air cleaners should be installed, CCTV system should be working, CMTV records should be saved, – If there is valet parking available, it is mandatory for the employees working there to wear masks and gloves.  

 Disposable menu cards, contactless menu cards should be made available through QR codes. Use good quality disposable paper napkins instead of cloth napkins. These establishments should make suitable changes in their design so that the distance between the two tables is at least 1 meter.  

Disinfect sealed bottled water or filtered water should be made available to the customers as per the customers’ demand. 

 If it is possible to include only cooked foods on the menu, avoid raw foods like salads, cold foods.  

 The customer service area should be disinfected after each customer’s use, furniture tables, urchins, buffet table counters, etc. should be disinfected from time to time.  

Buffet service is not allowed – pre-tasting dishes should be promoted on the menu wherever possible.

 Only the assigned staff should serve the relevant table bar food. – Plates, spoons, etc. All fruit utensils should be washed in hot water and approved disinfectant, service equipment, items, utensils should be kept in separate and sanitized cupboards. There should be different balms to keep possible unfair service equipment and food hot. – Plates, spoons, glass, etc. used by the customers.  

Service equipment should be brought to the washing place immediately for washing. The remaining food should be deposited in the respective buckets, and the daily collection should be disposed of daily.  

Customers should use hand sanitizers to use masks in addition to meals. Posters should be placed near the entrances of establishments. , Social media, etc. – live entertainment programs, ding, and other game areas (including billiards, darts & video games) indoor and outdoor card rooms are not permitted. Regular Covid-19 by all concerned establishments It is mandatory for the employees to wear the same standard mask of N-95. The employees of the establishment must change their uniforms daily. Sanitation should be done properly. Sanitation should be done correctly. 

 All employees should take care of their health and also in the case of Covid-19. If these symptoms appear, you should immediately contact the Covid-19 helpline for medical treatment. – Customers should pre-reserve the space whenever possible to avoid congestion.  

Customers should follow the rules of social distance in the waiting room. These establishments should mark the floor where necessary to maintain social distance. Customers should be allowed access according to the capacity of hotels, food courts, restaurants, and bars to avoid congestion. The establishment’s parents should impart training to their employees on precautions to prevent the spread of Covid-19, observance of social distance, personal hygiene, precautions to be taken while preparing food, hygiene, disinfection, etc.

The kitchen area should be sanitized frequently. Employees working at these establishments must wear safety equipment such as masks, gloves, Shepherkap / Net Wap, Faceshield. These establishments should strictly follow HACCP / ISO / FSSAI’s Sanitation & Hygiene criteria and guidelines.  

These establishments should adequately manage the accumulated wet, dry, biodegradable, etc. waste, gloves, masks, etc. should be ordered separately. The guidelines issued by the department should be strictly followed.  

PRAHA Appeals Restaurants, Hotels Owners To Follow Guidelines  

Ganesh Shetty, president of Pune Restaurants and Hotels Association (PRAHA) appealed the restaurants, hotels owners to follow the protocols mandated by the authorities. “Safety of your staff, yourselves and vendors is paramount and only then will you be able to care for your guests and their health. The business may be erratic and fluctuate day by day. We have suffered a lot of pain but we are not alone, so be sensitive to everyone”, Shetty said.

He further asked them to keep costs especially fixed costs under control. “Watch every rupee spent henceforth. Be frugal in your transactions. Talk to and keep in touch with other establishments regularly. Motivate one another. Help each other. You may be better off than most so help where you can. This is a reset of our industry and we all will be starting at the same level. No one can predict the future. We are in this together. Spread Hope”, Shetty appealed.