Unlock: How are kiosks functioning?

People across the country are taking all necessary precautions amid the Covid-19 crisis, and paan kiosk owners are no exception. While they have resumed business in various parts of the city, they are being extra careful, and rightfully so.

Recently, a picture of a paanwala in a PPE suit of sorts while preparing betel leaf (paan), went viral, for it showed the extra effort he took. The man, hailing from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, was completely covered while attending to his customer. And there are many like him in Delhi-NCR, for whom hygiene is of utmost importance at this point.

Sunil Jain, who runs a small kiosk in central Delhi, says, “I saw the video of the Banarasi shopkeeper sometime back and learnt a lot from him. While opening my shop, I sanitise the entire kiosk and packed products. I wear a mask at all times and even provide sanitiser to my customers. It’s not just for my safety, but for theirs, too. My business has already taken a hit in the lockdown, I don’t want to risk it more.”

The viral image has even motivated others to follow suit. Rahul Chaurasiya, who runs a small paan set-up in Sector 12, Noida, says, “My shop is open and all groceries are available, but I didn’t start making paan till July. Seeing the picture of the Varanasi guy, I thought, ‘If he can open his paan shop, why can’t I?’ I started making paan from August with full hygiene. We sanitise our shop, wear face shields, maintain distance from our customers.”

Rajesh, a paanwala in Sector 62, Noida, says, “I’m making paan with utmost care. Ek to log zyada paan maangte nahi hai, aur jo maangte hai, unke liye main hand wash karta hun, gloves pehenta hun aur fir banata hun. Pure din mask ya face shield pehen kar rakhta hun. Maine Banarasi paanwale ki photo dekhi thi aur uske baad hi maine face shield order kiya tha.”