Delhi hotels, restaurants see less business amid protests

Apart from the economic slowdown, protests against the recent brutal gangrape of a 23-year-old student in Delhi has affected hotels and restaurants, which are, of late witnessing sluggish business. The most affected hotels are the ones located in central Delhi, which remained the key point of protest.

The victim, a student of physiotherapy, who was beaten, raped and thrown out of a moving bus in New Delhi, lived on respiratory support all through her treatment and breathed her last in the wee hours of Saturday.

Protestor, predominantly college students and also housewives and children said people in their vicinity were so scared that they have stopped venturing out in the odd hours.
A few hoteliers and traders’ organisations contacted by Deccan Herald also complained of general shopping and hotel businesses taking a hit after the incident.

“Since our hotel is centrally-located, there has been some effect on our restaurants and their businesses are little low. The road blockade and other things have impacted the eateries,” Le Meridien Vice-President (Operations) Meena Bhatia said.

President of New Delhi Traders Association Atul Bhargava said there was significant drop in the number of people visiting Connaught Place as people preferred to remain indoors due to protests and closure of metro stations in central Delhi.