BHUBANESWAR: With State government banning zero-night celebration amid scare of super mutant Omicron variant, people in the Twin City of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack could be seen visiting restaurants and liquor off shops in large numbers early on Friday evening for taking the deliveries home to welcome the New Year. As per the government guidelines, restaurants and other eateries downed their shutters at 10 pm.
“I was apprehensive that the police will initiate action against the revellers roaming beyond 10 pm. I returned home before the night curfew was imposed to celebrate the New Year with my parents and wife,” said Dinesh, a resident of Cuttack. Hotel owners said that while many customers stay overnight on December 31 night and take part in zero-night celebrations, this time the number is insignificant.
“On the day, we had only 20 per cent occupancy in the hotel rooms. Though customers visited the restaurant in decent numbers during the day, there was hardly any crowd in the evening,” said Director of Hotel Crown Debasish Patnaik. Besides zero-night celebrations, welcome to New Year events in hotels, clubs, restaurants, parks, convention halls, kalyan mandaps were banned across the State. The government has also banned community feasts, social gatherings and rallies during the period.