Hotels, lodges allowed to operate in Maharashtra from Wednesday, but only at 33%

A day after Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray assured hotels that the sector will be opened up, the government issued a notification on Monday allowing

A day after Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray assured hotels that the sector will be opened up, the government issued a notification on Monday allowing hotels, lodges and guest houses to operate from Wednesday, but at 33% of their capacity. The government has issued guidelines for strict compliance with measures to contain the spread of coronavirus.

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Dine-in restaurants, however, will remain to be shut and operate only for takeaways as the government has not taken any decision yet. Restaurants at hotels and guest houses will be available only for the resident guest, although the government has pressed for room services and takeaways. Swimming pools, gymnasiums, playing areas, gaming arcades and gatherings of more than 15 people at these hotels will not be allowed, the notification issued by chief secretary Sanjay Kumar stated.

Remaining 67% of the facility can be used for the quarantine facility by the district/municipal administration. The hotels have been asked to admit asymptomatic patients only after taking their travel history and self-declaration. The guests are also mandated to wear face masks at all times during their stay.

It has been made mandatory for the hotel management to sanitize the rooms, lavatories, drinking and hand-washing stations and washrooms at regular intervals. Besides the sanitisation, the changing of linens and keeping rooms vacant for at least a day after it is vacated by the guest has also been made compulsory. Besides measures to avoid crowding, the notification has also made it compulsory to keep pedal-operated hand sanitizers at the entrance, in the rooms, thermal scanner at the entrance and making personal protection equipment (PPE) available to all staff members. The hotels have also been directed to follow the guidelines issued by the Central government related to the use of air-conditioning facilities.

“We welcome the step and expect the cap over occupancy is removed gradually in phased manner. We have clarified to the honourable CM that hotels are the safest places in terms of maintaining social distance and there should not have been any cap on operations. Some of the compulsions like sanitizer in every room and thermal screening at the entrance are too harsh and uncalled for. In such conditions, many hoteliers would opt to not begin operations immediately,” said Gurbaxish Singh Kohli, president, Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI).

Hotelier Dilip Datwani said that with 33% cap it would not be feasible to operate as the operation and maintenance cost remain the same. “Similarly, with the restrictions on industrial operations and on travelling, there are no takers too for services,” he said.

Kohli said that there are 53,000 hotels in organised sectors across the country and 10,500 are in Maharashtra. The estimated losses, according to him, during the period of the lockdown are Rs1.10 lakh crore. Representatives of hoteliers had a meeting with the CM on Sunday.