The United Hospitality Forum of Maharashtra (UHF) has organised a silent protest outside of all hotels and restaurants in the state on April 8, 2021.

Hospitality Associations across the State of Maharashtra including the FHRAI, HRAWI, NRAI, AHAR and other local Associations have formed United Hospitality Forum of Maharashtra (UHF) and have initiated campaign #MissionRoziRoti to highlight their desperate bid for survival. 

The UHF has organised a silent protest outside of all hotels and restaurants in the state today at 12:30 PM. The Associations have stated that hotels and restaurants are in deep financial trouble and without the Government’s consideration; the industry will be staring at a catastrophe.

As per Maharashtra Government’s Break The Chain order, restaurants are to be totally shut except for take-away, parcels and food delivery between 7 am and 8 pm on weekdays and on weekends, only food deliveries are allowed. Additionally, the State has mandated all food delivery personnel to be either vaccinated or undergo RT-PCR tests to test negative for COVID-19 at intervals of every 15 days. 

The Forum has stated that the latest Break The Chain guidelines have spelled a death knell for the industry. Repercussion to jobs, revenues and the spirit of enterprise is severe and irreversible, the Associations have pointed out.

“The latest ‘Break The Chain’ order is equivalent to another complete lockdown. We assure the Government that the industry is committed to following all the health and safety protocols and has our unwavering support towards the various efforts to combat the pandemic. We humbly request the Government to look into this genuine request of the hospitality industry and extend support in our fight for survival,” commented Pradeep Shetty, Jt. Hon Secretary, Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI).

Sherry Bhatia, President, Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) , says, “Barely six months ago were restaurants allowed to reopen. For close to eight months, on Government orders, restaurants remained closed but did not receive any support or relief against losses accrued by these businesses. Food delivery or parcel service is only a supplementary service to dine-in and it contributes only 5 per cent to a restaurant’s earnings. We are at a complete dead-end and to express our desperate bid for survival have organised a silent protest on April 8 2021 at 12:30 pm, outside hotels and restaurants across the State.”

Hospitality Associations across the State including Poona Hoteliers Association, United Hotel Association Pune, Nagpur Hotel and Restaurant Association, Aurangabad Hotel and Restaurant Association, Vasai Taluka Hotel Association, Hotel Owners’ association of Thane, Navi Mumbai Hotel Association, Palghar Hotel Association are rallying against the latest lockdown imposed in the State. The protest is also supported by various city and district level hospitality Associations from Beed, Amaravati, Nanded, Hingoli, Jalna, Parbhani, Aurangabad, Satara, Osmanabad, and Vasind among others.