The sun finally dawned on the no masking rule on March 31, 2022, when the Maharashtra government lifted the mask mandate. After one and a half years of stringent social distancing rules, people were tired of following the same. Henceforth, the news was seen as a sign of relief for people. To understand the impact of the rule being lifted, the author spoke to different people from various walks of life. While speaking to the first interviewee, the person who wanted his name undisclosed talked about cinema halls. Working for a huge company, he spoke about how his staff have come a long way. He said that curbs’ lifting sounds like a dream come true for his people who have seen cinema halls being opened the last and operating only on a 50% occupancy rule. “However, the fear of the pandemic seems far from over, and the staff is still maintaining security and safety protocols,” said the undisclosed source. Shiva Koli, the manager of Social in Phoenix Market City, spoke about how the restaurant has seen a surge in customers. He mentioned the mall has also been hosting events due to which more people are coming each day. Today, the restaurant has around 13,000 customers. He mentioned a fascinating detail while talking about how things have changed. The manager said, “It is now easier for us to understand the mood and behaviour of the customer and vice-versa. This helps us to make their experience better.” The pandemic saw many people looking for alternatives to improve their health and fitness. While speaking to one of the employees of First Fitt, a gym outlet in Viman Nagar, he said, “Working out with masks had been difficult, which is why the number of people in the gym reduced. However, as soon as the curbs were lifted, people were desperate to come back as the alternative fitness activities did not seem to work anymore. Recently, Viman Nagar has seen a significant increase in the number of people stepping out of their houses for regular walks in parks. Surendra Singh, a security guard in Udaan Biodiversity Park, spoke about the life that has come back in the park. From 10-15 people, the security guard now interacts with 250-300 people every day. The nationwide lockdown heavily impacted people who were dependent on daily activities. An auto driver expressed his happiness over the lifted curb as he can finally take 20 drives every day, which helps him support his household and children’s education. While the situation remains critical, it is nostalgic to see everyone enjoying themselves again.
10 Mar 2022
Abhishek Anand
