New curbs on gatherings dash hopes of wedding industry revival

LUDHIANA :A day after the Punjab government imposed a complete ban on all public gatherings while restricting social gatherings to five and marriages/other social functions to 30 instead of the current 50, city’s wedding organisers on Tuesday said that there is not even flicker of hope for the industry. The banquet hall owners said that the industry was already getting a tepid response from people when the government had restricted gatherings in marriage function to 50 and now this decision will force them to shut premises.

President of Marriage Palace Welfare Association Amarjit Singh Sant said, “Even after weddings were allowed to recommence under strict guidelines, we received a poor response from people. With the new guidelines, the state government has dashed hopes of revival for the industry. The impact on the industry will be felt for years to come.”

The owners said that with just 30 guests they would be able to recover their operational costs.

President of Hotels and Restaurants Association, Amarvir Singh said, “Banquet hall owners will have to incur more fixed charges than their profits. The government should rather announce that marriage functions are not allowed in palaces and hotels.”

Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal opposes new guidelines

General secretary of Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal, Sunil Mehra, and district President, Arvinder Makkar slammed the state government by stating that 50 persons are allowed to travel in congested buses, but are allowed to gather in wedding functions. Mehra, however, applauded the government’s move to lift home quarantine rule for those visiting state for less than 72 hours.