Pune: United Hospitality Association Demands Increase In Opening Hours For Restaurants
Pune, 3rd August 2021: A ‘ghantanaad aandolan’ (ringing bell protest) was organised today by the United Hospitality Association (UHA), which has over 800 restaurants as members, demanding an extension in opening hours. The Federation of Traders Associations Pune (FTAP) had called for the protest.
UHA president Sandeep Singh Narang said that the protest was to awaken the Maharashtra government from its deep slumber. The food hotels, restaurants, bars and permit rooms are in a state of lockdown for the past one and half years.
“Even today the time that is given to us for closing down is 4 pm. Everybody in the world knows that nobody comes out for drinks and dinner at 4 pm or before that. This timing of 4 pm is as good as a lockdown and a total shutdown for our industry. We are doing this protest to make our voice reach out to the government”, Narang said.
The UHA has made two demands from the government. “The first is to change the timing for the restaurant industry from 4 pm closing to a dual-slot system of 12 pm to 3 pm and a second slot from 6 pm to 11.30 pm. This is the minimum timing that the industry requires just to survive and make the ends meet”, Narang said.
He further added, “If the government cannot do this we request the government to give us relief on many fronts. We need relief on excise fees, electricity and water bills as well property tax and water tax. Many other states like Gujarat, Kerala and Karnataka have provided reliefs”.
