Restaurants and eateries across the city have been allowed to increase their occupancy from 50 to 70 per cent from November.
However, several police officers said they were finding it difficult to ascertain how to calculate 70 per cent of the capacity inside these places.
Earlier it was easy to calculate if an eatery was following the 50 per cent occupancy rule by simply checking if alternate tables had been left vacant. But now, it is unclear how to ascertain 70 per cent occupancy, many officers said.
Several eateries, restaurants and dhabas in south Calcutta have been witnessing a consistent footfall, especially on weekends.
“The idea is not to harass common people. Hence, we do not interrupt the working of any eatery or restaurant when it is full of customers. We keep tabs on the footfall by regularly checking CCTV footage on these places,” said an officer
of Shakespeare Sarani police station.
The officer added, essentially two things are checked in the footage — if some chair-tables were left empty even if there was a queue outside and if the eatery was closed by 11pm.
“This is the biggest challenge. It was easy to calculate 50 per cent occupancy by checking if alternate chairs were empty. But now it is impossible to calculate 70 per cent occupancy. Hence, we give benefit of doubt to those who leave a few chair tables empty,” the officer added.
Several officers Metro spoke to are facing similar problems in calculating occupancy in restaurants and eateries on Park Street, Camac Street, Russel Street, Theatre Road, Gariahat, Southern Avenue, Sarat Bose Road, Ballygunge, SP Mukherjee Road, Rash Behari
Avenue — places that have started witnessing a steady footfall amid the Covid-19 restrictions.
Different eateries have come up with different ways to ensure this 70 per cent occupancy rule. “Earlier, we kept a chair empty for every occupied chair. Now, we try to keep a chair empty for three occupied seats,” he said.
Another restaurateur said they were requesting large group of customers to break into smaller groups and leave at least one chair vacant at their table.
However, sources said, practically all restaurants and eateries were “finding it difficult to completely execute” the 70 per cent occupancy order.
