Thackeray: Will decide on reopening hotels soon

CM meets industry representatives, hears concerns on lockdown impact

A decision on reopening of hotels and restaurants in Maharashtra will be taken soon, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray told representatives of hotels’ association in a meeting on Sunday. The CM said the standard operating procedures (SOPs) will be formulated soon to allow the industry to restart.

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Speaking to the members of the hotel industry, Thackeray said reopening would be done cautiously with emphasis on health and safety of all involved. He also appealed not to retrench locals working in hotels and restaurants. “Under ‘Mission Begin Again’, we have allowed restarting of industries. The hotel industry has a huge role in Maharashtra’s tourism. Keeping that in mind, we are working on how to restart this industry. A mechanism for reopening hotels and restaurants is being finalised. Once that is done, a decision on reopening hotels and restaurants will be taken soon,” said a note from the Chief Minister’s Office quoting the CM.

“Hotels as well as lodges, which are important industries in the tourism business, have to be allowed with great care before starting. Your responsibility is two-fold,” Thackeray said, adding that every patron coming to the hotel will have to undergo a medical examination to ensure he/she is healthy.

Representatives from the hotel industry outlined the need for an early opening up of hotels as it is impacting their revenue and they are finding it difficult to pay their employees. According to a statement from the government, the lockdown has impacted the hotel and restaurant industry’s business by over ₹6 lakh crore. They also added that if hotels and restaurants are allowed to operate, it will lead to employment opportunities for locals. Around 80% of their staff is migrants, they said.

Gurbaxish Singh Kohli of Hotels and Restaurant Association of Western India said the industry now needs working capital. “Hotels and restaurants should be allowed to open up keeping social distancing in mind,” he said, during the meeting held via video-conferencing. Vivek Nair, member of the hotels’ association, said electricity bills should be reduced and water and electricity should be made available to hotels at industrial rates.