The crowd in front of bakeries, snack bars or roadside tea stalls clearly shows that city’s residents have given a go-by to the State Government-issued COVID-19 safety guidelines.
The Government, while permitting shops selling tea, had said they should offer only takeaways and not entertain customers at their premises. In compliance with the Government’s directive, medium and big shops and bakeries have placed tables or tied tapes at the entrance to prevent customers from entering inside.
But this has not prevented them from serving tea, coffee or snacks to customers who order standing outside. As a result, pedestrian pathways have turned extended tea stalls.
On Monday, the Coimbatore Corporation sealed a tea stall on D.B. Road as it served customers who were having their drink right outside the shop.
Tea stall owners said they could ask customers to wear mask or maintain physical distance if the latter was sitting inside their premises, but they could hardly do anything about customers outside.
While they served tea or coffee in covers or containers, the customers chose to open those to take a sip right there.
Coimbatore small eateries, mess and tea stall owners association president V.K. Subramanian says while it was true that customers stood right in front of shops, the owners can do little other than ask customers to move away or maintain physical distance
The State Government at the State level or the Coimbatore Corporation at the city level could engage the tea stall owners’ association to find out a solution as many tea shops are still closed fearing loss in business and work out a practical way of maintaining physical distance in and near tea stalls.
The Government that has permitted several other shops to open and let in customers should also explore the possibility of allowing one or two customers for every table inside the tea stalls, just as it had allowed 50% customers in other shops.
Sources in the Corporation say the civic body will check and act wherever there is violation, irrespective of the type of shop.