Hoteliers, other businessmen in Ludhiana ask govt to impose lockdown
Despite bearing huge losses, restaurant owners and those dealing in catering business believe that the government should impose a complete lockdown to break the chain of the virus.
Talking to Ludhiana Tribune, Vishal Malhotra from Bistro Flambois, Pakhowal Road, said he was suffering huge losses and footfall had come down to 70 per cent due to rising cases.
“People are not coming to restaurants these days but we still have to bear electricity expenses and other overheads, and pay salaries to the staff. How long can we continue to operate like this? We do not see profits in the near future as daily Covid-19 cases are touching an all-time high. In this scenario, lockdown is necessary to break the chain,” said Malhotra.
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Residents, too, feel that lockdown is the only option.
Shiv Shankar Rai, general secretary, Ludhiana Tent Dealers Welfare Association, said in the past, business had come to a halt and all advance bookings were cancelled. “Why can’t a lockdown be imposed to curb the spread of the virus? Perhaps with a lockdown, the number of cases will go down and business will pick up,” said Rai.
Sukriti Sharma from Penumbra PR maintained that it seemed people had taken a break now. “Social life in Ludhiana has slowed down as the number of cases has seen an alarming increase these days,” she said.
