Maharashtra’s restaurants and bars are likely to reopen for dine-in services

• The Maharashtra government has allowed restaurants and bars to reopen from October 1, according to a report by Times of India.
• The decision was taken after a meeting between industry representatives and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.
• So far, only home delivery of food was allowed in the state.

Maharashtra government has allowed restaurants and bars to reopen for dine-in services from October 1, according to a report by TOI. According to the report, the decision was taken after a meeting between industry representatives and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.



The move will come as a huge relief to the over 4 lakh restaurants and bars in Maharashtra, which have been shut since the outbreak of the pandemic in March.

So far, only home delivery of food was allowed in the state. According to the reports, a new standard operating procedure will be out soon.

An official statement said quoting CM Thackeray, "The state government has framed SOPs for reopening restaurants and those have been sent to the people concerned. A decision about reopening restaurants will be taken once these (SOPs) are finalised."

The president of Hotel & Restaurant Association of Western India has welcomed the move.


Thackeray laid emphasis on wearing masks, cleaning hands and maintaining physical distance while living with COVID-19 and added these precautions need to be taken when restaurants are reopened. "It will be important to take care of the health of chefs and other staffers in restaurants. They must wear masks, clean hands and ensure safety and cleanliness in restaurants," the chief minister said.

Maharashtra has been one of the worst-hit states during the coronavirus pandemic with over 2.7 lakh confirmed coronavirus cases, out of which over a lakh have recovered.

With inputs from PTI

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