Even after the lifting of the Covid lockdown in Delhi, dhaba owners in areas around the north campus of the Delhi University are experiencing around 70 per cent less business due to the mass exodus of students from the areas.
Areas such as Mukherjee Nagar, Vijay Nagar, Nehru Vihar, Gandhi Vihar, Indra Vihar, Outram Lane, etc, are home to thousands of students preparing for civil services and other competitive exams but their mass exodus ahead of Covid-19 related lockdown has had debilitating economic impact on eateries business, including home delivery.
Kuldeep Bhatiya, who runs Aapki Apni Rasoi at Nehru Vihar for over 20 years, said he had never experienced such a low footfall. “When we reopened dhabas after lockdown relaxation was announced, only a few customers visited and ordered food for the week. It gathered pace with time but still only 30 per cent of students are coming to have food here compared to the time before lockdown,” he said.
Many dhabas owners have reduced the number of staff and some are planning to close the business. Ajay Kumar, a resident of Indra Vihar, who has been running a dhabas at Nirankari colony for years, said 60 per cent of flats got vacant in the area after Covid-19 hit Delhi.
“The situation is still flustered as even after cases of coronavirus came down, the students are not returning at that pace. We have reduced staff strength to four compared to nine earlier. But, still paying the remaining staff is becoming difficult as I have lost 90 per cent of the revenue. I do not know if the situation is going to be restored soon. We are frustrated and economically shattered,” he said.
Similarly, the life of Binod Gupta, who used to deliver tiffin to more than 700 flats in these areas, has come to halt as his customer base has reduced to just 80 to 90.
“The loss of customers due to the pandemic has not destroyed my income but my dream and family too. The long disturbance followed by lockdown has driven me to despair,” he said.
Anahul Hasan, who started Mother’s Rasoi at Wazirabad after borrowing money from friends and relatives three years back after students started shifting in the areas due to cheap rent, said he has no courage to start it afresh.
“I have shut it down days after the lockdown was imposed. We had also started a tiffin service for students but that too failed completely during the period as many students vacated their flats without paying the due. I cannot explain the suffering my family has gone through. I am selling eggs and vegetables now to feed my family,” he said.