HYDERABAD: In a first, Telangana state has banned operation of food aggregators like Zomato and Swiggy in the state until further notice.
Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao told a news conference after the cabinet meeting that they would not be allowed to operate from Monday during the lockdown period.
He made the announcement while declaring extension of lockdown in the state till May 7.
The decision was apparently taken in view of an incident in Delhi where 69 persons were affected after supply of pizza by a delivery boy, who had tested positive for Covid-19.
The Chief Minister said people should cook fresh food at home instead of ordering the food from outside, especially during the current lockdown period.
Hyderabad is one of the biggest markets for these services.
He also said the government was not happy to order the shutdown of Swiggy and Zomato as it gets revenue through taxes, but the public health was more important than the revenue.
The online food delivery platforms were so far allowed to function as they were included in the list of essential services as per the Centre’s guidelines.