With gyms shut, fitness enthusiasts feel out of shape
BHUBANESWAR: For the last seven to eight years, a workout at a gymnasium was an integral part of IT professional Poonam Rana’s daily routine. Besides keeping her physically fit, it kept her mentally agile and helped her go about her day confidently. But this routine has been affected as all gymnasiums in the twin cities have been shut since March 13 on government orders, said Satyajit Dash, president of Odisha Gym Owners’ Association.
According to the latest state government guidelines, the gymnasiums would continue to be shut till June 30. “My gym routine used to invigorate me besides building my immunity and making me positive,” said the 27-year-old Poonam for whom being fit is a priority. Though she exercises at home now, it is not up to the mark owing to lack of space and the desired equipment.
Like Poonam, there are 30,000 gym goers in the twin cities that has around 140 gymnasiums. “Almost everyone’s fitness routine is off the track now. Joint and muscular pain and digestion-related problems have set in,” said Asutosh Mahapatra, 35, a manager with a private company and a regular at the gym for the past four to five years.
The closure of gymnasiums has not only affected fitness freaks, but told upon the finances of gymnasiums that are mostly spacious and have multi-gym facilities. Despite the closure, the owners had to pay rent for their spaces that is above Rs 1 lakh a month and electricity bills, maintain their spaces and pay their employees.
Moreover, they have to repay bank loans that they have taken to establish their set-ups. At least 2,000 people are employed with the gymnasiums in the twin cities as trainers, administrative and maintenance staff, said Dash. “On an average, I pay Rs 10,000 to an employee and have paid them their salaries for the last two months. But now I won’t be able to pay as I no longer have the money,” said Nitesh Jain, who owns a gym on Cuttack’s Mahtab Road. “Our trainers cannot do any other work as they have been doing this job for the last 10 to 12 years,” he added.
The members of the association have appealed to the state government for a stimulus package to tide over the financial crisis. It will help us pay our staff salary, rent and power bills, said Dash. They had held a demonstration in Bhubaneswar putting forth their demands and will do so in Cuttack shortly.
The gym owners said the government must allow re-opening of the gymnasiums with a standard operating procedure and hold a discussion with them. Some gymnasiums have already procured sanitisation equipment. “The gym owners can design slots to allow fewer people at a particular time to maintain social distancing. Earlier too, we used to take care of personal hygiene. We can do so now as well,” said Asutosh.