The roadside restaurant owners at Sorchen in Chhukha are not happy with the Southern COVID-19 Task Force’s notification to immediately suspend their businesses. According to the notification, the business will be suspended until the COVID situation improves. People running the restaurants were also asked to leave for their place of residence immediately.
There are eight temporary restaurants along the highway in Sorchen run by the residents of Phuentshogling and Geling Gewogs. The Southern COVID-19 Task Force allowed them to operate the business after the driver switching mode was shifted here from Rinchending in October 2020.
“I can’t leave the place here because my house is a red building in the Red Zone area. We were grateful to the Southern COVID 19 Task Force for letting us operate restaurants here. Now as cases surge in Phuentshogling, we are asked to go to our place. We don’t want to leave the place here. We request the Task Force to look for other options than closing our business here,” said Passang Lham, a restaurant owner.
“We all stay in Red Zone areas. it is not at all convenient to move there. We aren’t asking to let us stay here forever. We are requesting the authorities to let us operate our business until the driver switching mode is lifted from here,” said Dorji Dema.
“We are requesting the Task Force to allow us to stay here for a month and allow us to operate the business only if the COVID situation improves,” said Sangay Wangmo.
It has become a convenient place to grab meals for the drivers as they wait for hours until their vehicles return from the mini dry port in Phuentshogling.
“If restaurants here could be opened again, it would benefit the drivers. Without restaurants here, it is a problem for us,“ said Namgay, a driver.
“If these restaurants are not allowed to operate again, it will be a big problem for us. We solely depend on these restaurants for meals. Without restaurants here, we have to visit other places at Kamji and Gedu. As the settlement is large there, it will be riskier. But it is only the drivers and restaurant owners here,” said Dolay Tshering, another driver.
However, as convenient as it may be, it has also become risky in the wake of the increasing COVID cases in Phuentshogling. Recently, a driver tested positive for the virus at Sorchen. Similarly, many drivers ferrying goods between Sorchen and mini dry port tested positive for the virus. The restaurants remain closed since January 16.
Starting today, even the power supply was disconnected for the restaurant owners.
According to the Southern COVID-19 Task Force, restaurant owners have to leave the place immediately as the risk of virus transmission looms large. However, the Task Force said they will assess the situation after a month.
Meanwhile, all the restaurants along the Thimphu-Phuentshogling highway were asked to provide only takeaway service.
Sonam Penjor, Phuentshogling
Edited by Phub Gyem
