In Sindh, marriage halls start making bookings

200 people will be allowed at venues having the capacity to host 600 guests, says hall owner

KARACHI:

Marriage hall owners have started making bookings for events in Karachi as authorities had lifted the lockdown in the city, which was imposed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

In this regard, the manager of a marriage hall assured on Sunday that they would strictly follow pandemic-related standard operating procedures (SOPs) and would not allow more than 200 people at a venue that had the capacity of hosting 600 guests.

"Only six people will be allowed to sit at a table instead of 12," he said, adding that social distancing would be strictly implemented.

Meanwhile, caterers have also started taking orders ahead of the wedding season in November and December.

During the lockdown, marriage hall owners and the people associated with the business, including caterers, decorators, photographers and others, had staged numerous protests against the government for not letting them function. During a protest in June, they had warned the government of reopening their venues from July 4 if the authorities did not allow them to restore their business.

They had pointed out on the occasion that their businesses had been closed for the last four months due to the pandemic, depriving thousands of decorators, waiters, caterers, photographers and others of their livelihoods.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, August 17^th, 2020.