The Missing Pre-Pandemic Bustle in Hauz Khas

A number of businesses where vendors began their day by setting out for their shops, or laying out stalls on the street and others of a similar nature have observed major setbacks since the COVID-19 pandemic. As we moved into a time where lockdowns essentially have been lifted enough for the owners of small businesses to set up their shops again, the hustle and bustle of New Delhi markets which was observed before the pandemic have lost their charm.

The changes that were brought about the pandemic majorly hit a number of industries which also included food and food services. In these difficult times, when the lockdown was first announced nationwide, the restaurants were allowed to use food delivery services to provide take out. As we moved onto a time where restaurants were slowly allowed to open for business, safety standards are being observed essentially and is an expectation from both the customers and the food service providers. The two major delivery applications being Zomato and Swiggy have claimed to maintain hygiene standards of the personnel delivering the food, most dine-in restaurants also have ensured to put notices regarding the safety standards they maintain and the standards they expect the customers to maintain.

Image 1: Market space in Hauz Khas

Hauz Khas village in New Delhi which is a hotspot for urban hangouts having a large number of nightclubs, eateries and other spaces is also the home to a heritage sight as the trail of the market leads to the Hauz Khas Fort. With the surge of COVID-19 affecting numerous numbers of people in different ratios per month, the people have a fear of engaging with the market spaces. The eateries, restaurants and clubs, and street vendors have taken a major hit in their sales post the reduction of the crowd after the pandemic. Even though street vendors like cotton candy makers, kathi tikka and rolls shops etc have ensured to maintain hygiene standards like wearing masks and gloves while engaging with the food items, yet the sales do not even start for them on some days by noon.

On conversing with the manager of one of the franchises of a popular fast food chain Wow! Momo, it was understood that restaurants of a similar nature i.e. fast food chains which were actively providing home delivery during the peak COVID-19 time have not observed much of a change in their sales, though there was definitely a downfall of a significant percentage. With the lifting of lockdown restrictions from the first time onwards, the sales of that outlet have been gradually taking a peak and the restaurant ensured to put notices around the seating area in reference to the safety standards that had to be maintained in the premises.

The Hauz Khas market which was considered to be one of the most “happening” places in South Delhi and also a must-visit spot for foreigner travelers now only observes the rush hours from 5:00pm to 7:00pm.

The notable difference of the people engaging with the market space now and pre-pandemic time was mentioned by a number of street food vendors as well. While the afternoons which are essentially considered to be the lunch hours go very slow in the market, only the evening hours find a buzz which is insufficient to compete with the pre-pandemic days of the market

Image 2: COVID-19 guidelines outside the resto-bar Imperfecto

With the reopening of nightclubs and resto-bars, popular bars like Imperfecto among others can be observed to maintain essential safety standards by providing hand sanitation and posting notices about how they maintain the safety standards, some other resto-bars like Social have not yet been open to business at all.