Pune:
As popular with regulars as the bakery itself, old-time employees say they would like to stick around but blast probe delay is preventing reconstruction and they have families to feed.
More than a month after the blast at the German Bakery, the lack of a breakthrough in the case has got the popular joint's workers worried about their future. Unless the bakery is rebuilt and they are back at their jobs they will not breathe easy, but the delay in investigations is preventing even the clearing of the rubble at the terror attack site.
Sri Krishna Thapa, who has worked as a waiter for 12 years and is an institution by himself at the eatery, said, "We just want to work as we are not used to sitting idle."
Another thing that saddens the workers is the fact that they are not allowed to travel back to their hometowns.
Two of the staff members hailing from Nepal were supposed to travel back home. They had to cancel their tickets, as the police have not granted them permission to travel out of the country.
"It's tough to make the boys understand that they will not be able to see their families and sitting idle has only made them miss their families more," said Gopal Karkee, manager of the bakery.
The attitude of the owner, Smita Kharose, has also not helped, said a member of the staff. The employees feel that the Kharoses have not urged the police and government to wrap up investigations speedily. Karkee added that if things continued like this they would have to look for another job, as they had families to feed.
"If the owners are unable to restart the place then we have to either start off a new bakery similar to this one or find work elsewhere. But we do not want anyone to say that we left the owners in time of distress," said Karkee.