The Government of Maharashtra has allowed restaurants to stay open for business till 10 pm on all days with a 50 percent cap on capacity, it was announced on August 11, 2021.

ETHospitalityWorld spoke with Anurag Katriar, the President of the National Restaurants Association of India about this news, something that the entire F&B community in the state had been agitating for, especially after markets were allowed to open till 10 pm last week.

“After the Cabinet meeting today, where the Health Minister announced the extension of business hours till 10 pm for restaurants, we are awaiting the official GR (Government Regulation),” Katriar said adding that earlier in the day, cabinet minister and Guardian minister for Mumbai, Aslam Shaikh had spoken to him on the phone and assured that the timings would be extended.

Malls have also been allowed to stay open till 10 pm but only for people who were double vaccinated, from news which Katriar had received.

Restaurateurs across the state are breathing a sigh of relief. “This is definitely a great step forward, but there is a lot more to be done. The government should now announce the roadmap for further normalisation. Based on whatever criteria on which they will be decided—it cannot be left to the whims and fancies of individuals. Because now it's not only about extension of timing, it's also about when do you improve the capacity utilisation. I'm not saying do it today, but let's come up with a roadmap that when cases come down to a certain levels or hospitalisation comes down to this level, things will be reexamined. That way, we all know what to expect and we don't have to go through what we have gone through the last one week,” he said.