As part of easing of lockdown norms, the Maharashtra government on Monday decided to allow hotels, lodges and guest houses outside the containment zones to operate from July 8, at 33 per cent capacity.
Through an order, the state government announced the “Mission Begin Again Phase-V” to implement new norms with effect from July 8, outside specified Covid-19 containment zones all over the state, including all municipal jurisdiction of Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Pune Metropolitan Region (PMR), and Solapur, Aurangabad, Nashik, Malegaon, Dhule, Jalgaon, Akola, Amravati and Nagpur.
Incidentally, a majority of the cities like Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Aurangabad, Nashik, Jalgaon, Akola have witnessed highest number of Covid-19 infected cases and deaths.
While it has permitted hotels, lodges and guest houses to operate outside the containment from July 8, the state government has not allowed shopping malls to restart during the “Mission Begin Again Phase-V”.
“These entities if being used for quarantine facilities will continue to be used so unless decided otherwise by the district/municipal administration. Similarly, some part or whole of the balance unused capacity (67 per cent) can also be used as the quarantine facility by the municipal / district administration,”
The guidelines that have been laid down for the re-start of restaurants include: re-configuration of sitting arrangements to ensure social distancing, provision of e-menus and disposable paper napkins, encouragement of room service take-aways and restricting restaurants for resident guests.
As part of the new norms, hotels will now be required to maintain physical distancing among staff/guests with markings for queues and suitably configure seating arrangements, restrict the number of people in elevators with compulsory thermal screening at entrances to restrict the entry of any symptomatic persons.
Reception space must have a glass shield, sanitisers to be made freely available all over the hotel, the management must implement ‘contact-less’ procedures like QR codes, online forms, digital payments, etc for check-in/check-out, placing orders, etc.
Air Conditioning will have to be maintained at 24-30 degrees with 40-70 percent humidity range with adequate cross-ventilation and maximum fresh air intake.
While only asymptomatic guests will be permitted, they will be allowed entry wearing of face mask, they will have to wear face masks at all times inside the hotel, install the Arogya Setu app, provide full details of their travel history, medical condition, and minimize use of housekeeping services.
While swimming pools, gyms, gaming arcades, children’s areas will remain closed, the state government has allowed meeting halls to remain open with 33 percent capacity or maximum 15 persons shall be allowed.
Among other things, the state government has mandated sanitisation of rooms and other service areas. “After the client’s stay, the room should be left unoccupied for at least 24 hours and all linen towels should be changed after guests vacate the room,” one of the guidelines said.
The state government has also mandated other strict measures for cleaning, sanitising and disinfecting the hotel premises and rooms, and the protocols to be followed in case a guest falls ill or any suspect/confirmed Covid-19 case is located on the premises.