The canteens and roadside eateries were abuzz with activity as physical classes of DU colleges resumed after two-year hiatus on Thursday, bringing cheers to the owners as well as the students many of whom could bond with their friends over a cuppa for the very first time.
As students queued up outside stalls to savour momos, tea, banta, sweet corn and other snacks, business returned to these eateries that had been left cash-strapped owing to the closure of the university due to the Covid pandemic. Students could be seen enjoying steaming hot momos at a famous vendor outside the Vishwavidyalaya metro station. Rajkumar, the momos vendor there, said he had not expected so many students to turn up.
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“The business has been impacted for the last two years. We have suffered major losses. There was no business. But now, the students are coming back. “Today is a very busy day. I think now the business will be fine. Students are our main customers. With them returning, the business will hopefully bloom,” he said. The Sudama tea stall near Ramjas College was also brimming with activity as excited students were discussing their first day at college over a cuppa.
“I was told by my seniors that I must try tea from Sudhama tea stall. So on the first day itself, I decided to have tea here. It is actually good,” said Kritika Sharma, a second-year student at the Ramjas College. Sudama had a busy day since morning as well as he constantly stirred boiling tea and milk in two separate vessels. At the same time, he was also pouring tea in earthen cups .
“The business is good today. I have been putting stall here for a long time but the business was slow due to COVID-19. But today, it is very good. Students are returning and we are happy as it will help in reviving business,” he said. The sales also saw an increase because of the parents who were accompanying their wards on their first day. “We did not expect so many people. Sales are returning to normal. Though it will take time to reach the pre-covid period. But there is a hope, ” said the owner of ”Rawal Pindi ke chole bhature” while handing over ‘chole bhature’ to a customer. Located in a narrow lane of Kamala Nagar, the 60-year-old shop is famous among college students. Similarly, Tom Uncle Maggie Point at Hudson Lane had students thronging to the eatery which offers different versions of the two-minute noodles. “Though it is too early to say anything about the sales, people are coming but it will take time to reach pre-Covid situation,” said the owner.
Canteens at some colleges were not functional which meant more business for eateries situated outside the campus. At Ramjas College, although the canteen was open, students could only sit as no food and snacks were being sold. Santosh, who was in the kitchen of the Ramjas canteen, said, “We will surely open the canteen by Monday”.
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The canteen at Miranda House was fully functional and students in groups were chatting and relishing the food. However, besides putting on masks, nobody was seen following any other Covid protocol. There was no social distancing as well. “We are opening canteen after two years but did not expect this kind of business on the first day. We are really happy we are providing a complete meal,” Sudhir, who runs Miranda House canteen said. At Kirori Mal College, the canteen was not fully functional but the owner said they will be up and running soon.
“We arrived today on an urgent basis. It was uncertain if students will turn up or not. I could only bring seven-eight helpers for the kitchen. Otherwise there used to be 18-20 men working here. “Due to Covid, everyone left for their homes. We have limited menu for today but from tomorrow onwards, we will try to give all the meals to the students. I have two-three canteens under my supervision,” said the owner Ishwar Singh. Sanjeev Kumar Tiwari, Principal of Maharaja Agrasen College, said the canteen owner ran out of food items by the end of the day. “He had got limited items since he had not thought students would come today in large numbers. He ran out of food items by the end of the day,” he said.
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