After reopening of malls, the Shopping Centres Association of India (SCAI) wants the government to have a relook at indoor amusement centers which continue to be shut.
According to a PTI report: In a letter to Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism Prahlad Singh Patel, the SCAI urged to reopen amusement centers within malls which serve gaming and family entertainment needs.
The letter, written along with the Indian Association of Amusement Parks and Industries (IAAPI), made an economic and social case for reopening the facilities.
It claimed indoor amusement centers industry has incurred loss of Rs 1,100 crore because of the shutdown, which can increase to Rs 2,000 crore by December if the facilities continue to be shut.
The letter said sustenance of such facilities, which directly employ 80,000 people, will be difficult if they continue to be shut, adding that up to 40 percent of the staff has already returned to their hometowns because of the financial stress.
There are over 500 indoor amusement centers and it would help if they are allowed to reopen by the upcoming festive season, it said.
“Indoor amusement centers (IACs), just like retail, are a very important part of mall operations and, we would like to take this opportunity to urge you to consider the opening of IACs in a controlled manner,” the letter urged.
The SCAI promised to take all the necessary precautions against COVID-19, and added that since patrons need to pay at such a facility, the probability of overcrowding is very less.
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