Video Editor: Mohd. Ibrahim
After more than three months of being shut down, Mumbai’s hotels are ready to ‘Begin Again’. Under the relaxation of lockdown scheme, the state government has allowed 33 percent of hotels, lodges and guest houses outside the containment zone areas to reopen.
However, this relaxation comes with conditions. So, here’s all you need to know about the reopening of hotels in Maharashtra.
What do the new guidelines say?
Hotels and other entities providing accommodation services including Lodges, Guest Houses, etc, outside containment zones, will start operating from 8 July.
These establishments will operate at 33 percent capacity and on conditions.
The state government’s latest guidelines are applicable to not just Mumbai, but also Pune, Solapur, Aurangabad, Malegaon, Nashik, Dhule, Jalgaon, Akola, Amravati and Nagpur among other districts.
What about hotels that have been turned into quarantine facilities?
The Chief Secretary of Maharashtra clarified that if the accommodations were being used for quarantine facilities, they will continue to be used so unless decided otherwise by the respective civic bodies and district administration.
Also, “some part/whole of the balance” unused capacity, that is the rest 67 percent, can be used as quarantine facility by the authorities.
What are the conditions that the accommodations need to follow?
To reopen, hotels, lodges and guest houses are required to prominently display “posters/standees/AV Media” on preventive measures against COVID-19. The facilities will also have to ensure proper crowd management inside as well as outside the premises, including parking lots. They are supposed to have specific markings to manage queues and seating arrangements to ensure social distancing.
Some of the other conditions are:
- Entrance to have mandatory thermal screening provisions. Reception tables/space should have protective glass.
- Hand sanitizers preferably with pedal operated dispensers must be made freely available at the reception, guest rooms and public spaces (lobbies etc) for guests.
- Appropriate personal protection gears like face covers/masks, gloves, etc shall be made available by hotel to the staff as well as guests.
- Hotels must adopt contactless processes like QR code, online forms, digital payments like e-wallet, etc for both check-in, check-out and placing orders inside the premises.
- Number of guests in the elevators to be restricted, duly maintaining social distancing norms.
- Temperature settings of all air conditioning devices should be in the range of 24-30 degree Celsius, relative humidity should be in the range of 40-70 percent.
The facilities are also expected to clean and sanitise rooms and service areas each time a guest vacates the room. Linens and towels in the room need to be changed and the room itself should be left unoccupied for at least 24 hours. Apart from the rooms, hotels must regularly disinfect surfaces that are touched, including door knobs, hand rails, elevator buttons, etc.
What are the guidelines for guests?
- It is mandatory for guests to wear face covers/masks inside the hotels at all times and only asymptomatic guests will be allowed in the accommodations.
- The state guidelines make it compulsory for guests to use the Arogya Setu app and furnish their travel history and medical details while checking in.
Are there restrictions on facilities inside the hotel?
- Additional facilities inside hotel premises like gaming arcades, children's play areas, swimming pools and gymnasiums will remain closed.
- Large gatherings are also prohibited.
- Meeting halls are allowed to use only 33 percent of their capacity subject to a maximum of 15 participants.
- Restaurants in hotels too are expected to follow strict guidelines such as seating arrangements configured to ensure social distancing, use of E-menus and paper napkins and encouraging room service.
- Restaurants will remain open for only guests staying at the hotel.
What if a person tests positive inside the hotel premises?
- The government guidelines mandate that if anyone tests positive inside the hotel/lodge premises, they should be immediately isolated, and the nearest medical facility should be informed about this.
- This will be followed by a risk assessment by the designated public health authority and the premises will be disinfected.
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