AURANGABAD: The Aurangabad District Hotels and Restaurant Owners Association (ADHROA)has demanded permission to operate at 100% capacity, much on the line of the relaxation granted in 14 other districts.
With barely 53% population fully vaccinated in the district, as against 70% required for lifting of Covid curbs, Aurangabad will continue to witness certain pandemic induced restrictions including only 50% seating capacity for hotels and restaurants.
ADHROA president Shivaji Patil on Thursday said it was unjust on the part of government to make eateries suffer due to relatively low vaccination of the target population.
“Our members have been suffering huge losses during the current pandemic with some of them leaving the business due to mounting losses. When the Supreme Court itself has said the Covid vaccination is not mandatory, it is wrong on the part of the government to link the Covid curbs with immunisation,” he said.
Highlighting that Aurangabad is a tourism hub that attracts visitors not only from different parts of India but also abroad, hoteliers said that the 50% cap on occupancy in eateries would be an inconvenience to the tourists also. The association has around 280 members, who are expected to meet the ruling party leaders, to press for their demand of operating with 100% occupancy.
Aurangabad city on Thursday reported 16 fresh cases at the positivity rate of 3.41%, taking the number of active cases to 71. The rural parts of the district had reported three fresh cases on Wednesday.
