Mumbai: Business bleak, malls plead for relief on two-shot rule

Tight govt regulations have meant that even after reopening, not only is the footfall low, but only 20 per cent shops have opened

Malls across the city that have been allowed to reopen are struggling on many fronts. On one hand, the footfall is dismal, while on the other they do not have enough employees that meet the government’s vaccination criteria. With business now shrinking to nearly one-fifth of what it was during pre-COVID days, they have appealed to authorities to relax the two-dose rule. 

After a gap of about 180 days, malls across the city rolled up their shutters on August 15, but a revised order that directed only those who are fully vaccinated would be allowed had forced them to shut the operations for three days. It was only late last week they opened their doors to customers.

Star City mall in Dadar in March. The situation is more or less the same now. File pic/Ashish Raje

Most shops in malls and outlets in food courts have the majority of their staff in the age group of 18 to 44 who are not yet vaccinated fully. The same vaccination condition has also meant that only a few citizens can visit these areas. Shortage of doses and the resultant slow pace of vaccination is another big stumbling block for their business. With barely any employees to manage counters, many shops in malls have chosen to remain shut.

Amid fears of a third wave of COVID, civic officials said it is better that citizens do not crowd at one place.

Mukesh Kumar, CEO of Infiniti Mall and chairman of Shopping Centres Association of India, said, “We have made representation to the government over relaxing the doubly vaccinated rule and allowing those with first doses as well, especially the staff, but we are yet to get a reply. All the city malls [except one] have started but are hardly operational with 15 to 20 per cent of the capacity.”

180
Approx. no. of days after which malls reopened recently

15 per cent-20 per cent
Current business that malls are doing compared to the pre-COVID days

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