Restaurants in Maharashtra to open from October 5

In Maharashtra, people having coronavirus symptoms will not be allowed to avail dine-in services in restaurants. According to safety guidelines issued by the State Government, only asymptomatic customers will be allowed inside.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra Government has allowed hotels, food courts, restaurants and bars to operate from October 5 onwards, but only with 50 percent of their capacities. For this, Valsa Nair-Singh, principal secretary of the tourism department, on Saturday issued Covid-19 safety guidelines, which have banned coronavirus symptomatic people to go to restaurants.

As per the guidelines, restaurants have been asked to keep separate entry and exit points for the customers and they should be screened at the entry point for coronavirus symptoms such as high temperature, cough, and cold. Face masks have been made mandatory, except while eating.

Only cooked food should be included in the menu and raw or cold food like salads should be avoided, the guidelines have said. The restaurateurs have also been asked to use degradable paper napkins instead of cloth napkins. The buffet service has not been allowed.

Customers will have to follow social distancing while waiting for service. Hand sanitizers must be made available, and payment through digital mode should be encouraged. Rest rooms and hand-wash areas must be cleaned regularly, the guidelines said.

The guidelines have also said that the plexiglass screens or similar barriers must be erected at counters where interactions with customers occur frequently. CCTV cameras on the premises must be fully functional and Furniture should be disinfected daily, it added.