No takers for J-K’s decision on opening of hotels at full capacity

Arteev Sharma

Advertisement

Tribune News Service

Jammu, July 7

The decision of the UT administration to allow opening of hotels at full capacity has found no takers in Jammu and Kashmir as hoteliers continue to keep their establishments closed due to “non-availability of customers” and “unfavourable circumstances”.

“It (decision) holds no meaning for us. No hotelier has opened his hotel in view of continuous suspension of Vaishno Devi pilgrimage and no decision on opening of tourist places for the public,” said Rakesh Wazir, president of the Katra Hotel and Restaurants Association.

“Our establishments can’t be financially viable till the government takes a decision on allied and related sectors, including opening of tourist destinations and resumption of pilgrimage. There are around 600-650 hotels and lodges in Katra town and, except five to six which are being used as quarantine facility, all are closed,” he added.

He claimed that the hotel industry in Katra had been facing losses worth Rs 4 crore to Rs 4.5 crore per day.

“Our estimates suggest that so far we have faced a loss of Rs 600 crore. Over 25,000 employees working in Katra hotels have been left without work. Even if the situation improves today, it will take almost a year to bring normal business back on track,” said Wazir.

After the outbreak of coronavirus, the UT administration had closed Vaishno Devi yatra on March 18 as part of the precautionary measures to arrest the spread of Covid-19.

According to the administration’s guidelines for Unlock 2.0, hotels can open at full capacity in Jammu and Kashmir, while restaurants have been allowed to operate for dine-in service with up to 50 per cent capacity.

Inderjeet Khajuria, chairman of the All Jammu Hotels and Lodges Association, also narrated the plight of hoteliers. “Who will stay in our hotels as there is no train or inter-state bus service to J&K. Hotels are still closed and it will take at least two years for them to return to normal business.”

“We are suffering a loss of nearly Rs 1 crore to Rs 1.5 crore on a daily basis. Nearly 10,000 employees have been working in nearly 500-550 hotels and lodges in Jammu city,” said Khajuria.

On Monday night, the administration had announced that it would reopen the UT to tourism soon – a development that comes as states slowly begin to ease restrictions on movement and resume stalled economic activities.