Gym Owners worried, seek admin nod to open centers in Kashmir

Mohammad Imran Naiku

Srinagar, June 18(KNB): Citing financial and health concern, many Gym owners, trainers across the Kashmir valley have demanded government administration to allow reopening of gym planets with heavy monthly rent to pay in view of nationwide lockdown and alleged government in deep slumber as many gym operators are violating Standard operating procedures (SOP’s).

Large number of gym owners across the whole valley have accused government acting as deaf and dumb as many gym centres are operating in Srinagar district violating all the SOP’s while the ones following the government rules are suffering a lot as their units are on verge of shutting down due to the lockdown imposed in the month of March to combat the novel Coronavirus.

“As government is yet to show the green signal for reopening of gym centres, many gym planets across Srinagar are operating their units illegally and government is acting as deaf and dumb as our customers are going to their units and we are still waiting here for government orders. We demand government officials either to reopen all the centres or to close down all as our customers now prefer to go there which is a huge loss for us where we are already facing tremendous problems financially and psychologically since post abrogation of Article 370,” one of the gym owner from Srinagar vicinity told news agency Kashmir News Bureau.

They demanded government to either allow reopening of all gym centres across the valley or close the ones operating illegally due to which they are loosing their own costumers and said that when many other businesses with similar risks had reopened, it is unfair to keep the gyms closed asking government for standard operating procedure (SOP) for reopening the fitness industry like several other businesses.

Another owner said, ” Our condition is worsening day by day since one year when Article 370 was removed and all bussiness establishment were closed, We have to pay rent of the building even when it is not faunctional and for past 4 months we couldn’t pay the rent, salary to trainers and cleaners, EMI.”

He further said, “I urge the government to take necessary steps to bring up the gym sector as they have allowed opening up of shops, temples, malls under the proper guidelines.”

After imposing lockdown across the country, the government, from June 8 onwards, allowed the re-opening of several public places, including malls and places of worship however the government continues to delay the reopening of gyms.

Despite repeated calls from Kashmir News Bureau Deputy Commisioner Srinagar Shahid Iqbal Chowdhry didn’t respond.(KNB)