Life back to ‘normal’ in city amid pandemic

PATNA: A week after civic activities in the city resumed under Unlock 4.0, life seems to be limping back to normal for people. Gyms, malls and restaurants – shut for five months due to Covid-19 – are witnessing a steady increase in customer footfall.
Tapan Nath, manager at a clothing retail chain near Exhibition Road, said customers have started turning up in good numbers ahead of the festive season.“The response has been good after the announcement of Unlock 4.0 last week. Our average customer footfall is around 350 per day. We are also ready with new stock for Durga Puja,” he said.
Restaurants and eateries have also started operating in full capacity with safety measures in place. Foodies are seen lining up near food stalls at Maurya Lok.
Yasheel Anand Singh, owner of a café cum restaurant on Boring Road, said even though life is returning to normal despite pandemic, the losses incurred during the past five months would take at least a year to recover. Nonetheless, Singh is happy with the response so far. “The response in the past one week has been great. As a matter of fact, customers are not fearful at all,” he said.
Fitness enthusiasts have also started returning to gyms. Sunny Kumar Gupta, manager at an upscale gym on Boring Road, said while on the first day of enforcement Unlock 4.0, only 20 to 25 people showed up, the number increased thereafter. “At least 70 people visit the gym per day now. We have allotted slots on an hourly basis to avoid overcrowding. Only 30 people are allowed inside the gym at once,” he said.
With the reopening of Patna zoo and parks in the city, people can be seen taking a leisurely walk under the cloudy sky. “I used to meet my retired friends in this park almost every day before lockdown. We would discuss politics incessantly. I am glad to resume my morning and evening strolls with my friends,” said a senior citizen and Patel Nagar resident Ram Narayan.
Meanwhile, with religious places opening their gates for devotees, vendors and makeshift shops selling garlands, holy offerings and ‘puja samagri’ are back to business. The livelihood of thousands of street vendors is slowly getting back on track.
Chandan Kumar, who sells garlands near Mahavir Mandir on Station Road, said people are coming to the temple in good numbers. “Many people are coming to offer ‘prasad’ and do puja at the temple. I am hopeful that things will change in the days to come,” he said.
The lanes of Harmandir Ji Gali near Takhat Shri Harimandir Ji Gurdwara at Patna Sahib are also bustling with life. “It feels so good to meet my regular customers after a long time. My business has also picked up pace. We are taking all necessary precautions to keep Covid at bay,” said Gurjeet Singh, owner of a turban shop at Harimandir Ji Gali.