As Maharashtra takes measured steps to unlock amid fears over Delta variant, malls across the state have decided to finish off again over the necessity of fully vaccinated staff. The Shopping Centres Association of India, however, has urged the Uddhav Thackeray government to contemplate opening the department stores if the staff has “received one dose”.
“In light of the modified guidelines issued by the govt. of Maharashtra on 16 August 2021, restraining mall staff from returning to workplace unless they’re vaccinated with two doses with a spot 14 days after the second dose, it’s unfortunate that malls across the state have decided to shut down,” read the official statement by the highest industry body Shopping Centres Association of India.
The malls within the state are shut for over 300 days since the beginning of the pandemic, “resulting in huge, irrecoverable losses”, the industry body said, adding, “We fear the trend will continue if urgent steps aren’t taken to ease restrictions that are ‘specifically made applicable for malls’. On the opposite hand, plenty of mall owners have huge debts thanks to financing and these restrictions are only ensuring greater difficulty in servicing these obligations.”
The constraints faced by the state in stepping up vaccination has been the “primary reason” that the staff couldn’t get both the doses. However, 80 per cent of the staff has received both the doses, the SCAI said.
