Mysore/Mysuru: Demanding total waiver of rent till December on account of severe loss of business due to COVID-19 pandemic, Hotels, Restaurants, Bakeries and other eateries functioning from KSRTC Bus Stands across the State, have shut down indefinitely with effect from today.

Following a call from Bengaluru-based Federation of  KSRTC (including BMTC, NWKRTC & NEKRTC) Bus Stand commercial Complex Tenants, the Hotels and Bakeries at the City and Sub-Urban Bus Stands in Mysuru, have shut shop.

Speaking to Star of Mysore this morning, Federation President M.V. Raghavendra Rao said that the Hotels, Bakeries and other small shops functioning from the commercial complex attached to KSRTC Bus Stands across the State have been suffering extensive losses, due to poor response from the public following the outbreak of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic.

Noting that many Hoteliers have invested huge sums of money for running hotels in Bus Stands, Rao said that poor passenger response has caused huge losses for them.

Pointing out that hardly a few passengers can be seen at Bus Stands, he said that people seem to be too scared of the deadly virus. “The poor patronage by passengers and other customers, has dealt a severe blow to the expectation of Hoteliers, who had hoped for better customer response following relaxation in lockdown curbs. But that is not to be and the KSRTC authorities should come to their rescue by waiving off the whole of rent till December this year,” he maintained.

The KSRTC authorities have dealt another blow to the Hoteliers by sending a notice asking them to pay rent from May 19, the date which the KSRTC resumed bus-service following the lockdown, till June 30, which is nothing but ridiculous, he said and added that it has become impossible for them to pay rent in this depressing situation where there is no business.

Urging the KSRTC to waive off rent in full at least till December, Rao said that the authorities should either waive off rent or return their deposit, so that they can vacate.

Asserting that it has become very difficult to run business from KSTRTC Bus Stand complexes and annexes, he said that there was no question of re-opening hotels in Bus Stands as long as their demand for rent waiver is met.

Meanwhile, N.S. Gopalakrishna, who runs a hotel in the  City Bus Stand Complex, told Star of Mysore that he has shut his hotel following a call from the Bengaluru-based Federation, which has been demanding full rent waiver till December.

Claiming that hardly few passengers can be seen at the City Bus Stand at any point of time, he alleged that the bus staff have made it a practice to alight passengers outside the Bus Stand and this factor too has contributed to poor customer patronage for his hotel.

Pointing out that he has written to the KSRTC Divisional Controller seeking rent waiver in full due to poor customer footfall, he said that he is left with no option other than to shut shop, at least temporarily.