Monday saw people thronging neighbourhood tea shops, which had reopened after weeks of lockdown. However, though the government had mandated that tea shops (and restaurants) could only offer parcel services, many customers were spotted having tea in front of the shops. In some places, physical distancing norms were undermined.
Vishal Chandrashekar, an event planner, said that in places like Perambur, Periyar Nagar and Jawahar Nagar, people were consuming tea/coffee right outside the shops. “The tea was being served in glasses,” he said.
A popular South Indian restaurant chain on Anna Salai served tea and coffee to customers in steel tumblers on its premises, though restaurants are allowed to offer only a takeaway service. Aiyyapan, a vegetable vendor, said he had tea at a shop in Guindy, and there were plenty of other people enjoying the beverage in front of the shop.
‘Takeaways impossible’
A tea shop owner in T. Nagar said it was impossible to offer a takeaway service. “We don’t have disposable flasks like those in the organised sector do. We don’t have those expensive disposable cups either. If I tell my customers that only takeaway is allowed, they will find another shop nearby, which would, in turn, affect my businesses,” he added. Shops offering vehicle repair and servicing also opened their shutters on Monday. While some of them asked customers to bring their vehicles for servicing, others went out of the way to pick up vehicles from the customers’ residence. Since most vehicles had been idling in parking lots for over 45 days, they required repairs, including battery recharge.
