CHENNAI: With most migrant workers having left for their home states, many restaurants in the city are struggling to reopen for business even as the lockdown restrictions are being relaxed.
The government order mentioning the relaxations said restaurants can allow customers to eat inside their premises from June 8 as long as they follow the norms including social distancing. However, as it turns out, most eateries were highly dependent on migrant workers and are now desperately seeking alternative options.
"We had 13 workers from Assam and Meghalaya and five local employees. I tried to convince the migrant workers not to go home but didn't have the money to hold them. We tried to make food just for home deliveries and parcels but ended up making losses. Now that things are coming back to normalcy, we don't have enough manpower," says A Rajendran, who runs a restaurant in Kutchery road in Santhome.
Many restaurants which were owned by people from neighbouring states like Kerala and Andhra Pradesh also remain closed as employees rushed back to their hometowns just before the lockdown. "We are trying to get e-passes to get back our main cook and some others to restart the business. There is a lot of work to be done but we lack manpower," says Nithin Praveen from Kerala who runs a Kerala special food restaurant in Adyar.
Meanwhile, some restaurant owners are trying to employ local residents who are out of a job. But the locals demand higher wages, lament the owners. "It has been tough for all since the lockdown and our restaurant is in a bad shape with rotten vegetables and dusty rooms. We have to restart the business and lack the manpower we used to have. Our employees have gone back to their places and have promised to return once transport resumes. As an alternative option, we looked into hiring local residents until everything returns to normal. But they demand higher salaries and some even demand permanent employment," said G Kanagavel Raja from Egmore.
He said that local workers demand Rs 700 to Rs 1000 per day and with the outlook for business remaining uncertain, it was a risk.
But some other restaurants in the city managed to keep their workers here by taking care of their needs during the lockdown. "I convinced them that going to their hometowns is not going to change things and took care of their payments during the lockdown. We were delivering food with parcels and online applications and now that people can sit inside, we are prepared for it," says T Srinivasan Rao who runs a restaurant in Royapettah.
Meanwhile, after almost 60 days of intensive hair growth, men and women started flooding saloons and spas in the city for a makeover. Hairdressers in the city used hand sanitizers, wore masks and gloves and sprayed disinfectants before customers entered the shop. Those entering the saloon also had to sanitize their hands.
Many people had to return home disappointed after finding that the saloons were packed and were asked to come back the next day.
The new lockdown allows autorickshaws and private taxis to ply across the city with conditions. Since Sunday, after the announcement, many drivers took their vehicles to mechanic shops to ensure they were roadworthy.