Night curfew leads to fear of another wave of job loss in hospitality sector

The industry has been urging the government to consider those employed in the hotel industry as frontline workers

The government’s decision to impose night curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. in the light of a spike in COVID-19 cases has not gone down well with the hotel industry, especially as restaurants, pubs, and other eateries are operating at 50% occupancy. The main concern is the welfare of employees. According to Bruhat Bengaluru Hotels’ Association president P.C. Rao, last year, following the lockdown, over 1.25 lakh employees in the sector reportedly lost their jobs. Over the past few weeks, the industry has been urging the government to consider those employed in the hotel industry as frontline workers and cover them in the vaccination drive. Chandrashekhar Hebbar, president of the Karnataka Pradesh Hotels and Restaurants’ Association, said the government’s decision will hurt bars, restaurants and pubs more than other categories in the hotel industry. “We are ready to adhere to the new rules. However, the employees of various establishments will be able to leave only by 11 p.m. The government should ensure that these employees are not harassed,” he said.