More than 2000 wedding planners, hoteliers and banquet hall owners are upbeat over the relaxations announced on Wednesday night by the state government, including allowing opening of banquet halls, marriage halls and restaurants with limited capacity of 50 persons.

Over 1200 decorators, tent house owners, band operators, caterers, wedding photographers of the district have started work for the remaining weddings scheduled during the last six days of the lagan season.

The hoteliers, banquet and marriage hall owners and restaurant operators on the other hand are overjoyed at the prospect of beginning of different kinds of small parties including, birthday, marriage anniversaries, engagement, promotion parties besides the conferences, meetings, seminars etc during the post-marriage season.

Talking to The Telegraph Online on Thursday, Pradeep Kumar Singh, President of Dhanbad Zila Decorator Association, said, “Though 80% of around 20 thousand marriages scheduled during five month lagan season beginning from March have already been cancelled, but the relaxation as this juncture also will help us to compensate for some of the losses.”

“We were more concerned about the income of labourers working with us like generator operators, electricians, dishwashers, servers, bush boys, band party operators,” said Singh and added that large number of these labourers have already left for their native places to work on the farmland due to cancellation of almost all marriages scheduled during, March, April, May, June.

“The best part of the order was allowing a congregation of maximum 50 persons which will allow the functions to be held with the involvement of wedding planners like us,” said a Jharia based decorator.

Senior General Manager of Skylark Hotel, Anutosh Bagchi also welcomed the relaxations provided by the government including allow opening of banquet halls/ marriage halls and said “though marriage season is almost at the end but we are looking over other meetings, parties etc held aS part of the birth way function, marriage anniversaries, ring ceremony, work anniversary functions, promotions etc”

“The banquet hall rents and restaurant income are an important part of the hotel business and hotel’s income will also improve with permission for dining facility in their restaurants as during the recent times the concept of group dining has gained popularity which allows people to share the food cost among each other,” said Bagchi.

“We expect the situation to improve further for the hospitality sector with the gradual relaxation in lockdown situation in neighbouring states of Bihar and Bengal and also opening of all means of transports including, buses, trains and private vehicles,” said Vinay Singh owner of Hotel Ramson in Dhanbad.