Hotels and Lodges in Maharashtra are now Open

The state government of Maharashtra has taken the decision of easing the lockdown, allowing hotels and all establishments providing accommodation to resume operations from July 8, 2020, at 33% capacity.

In a statement, the government conveyed that, &ldquoThese entities if being used for quarantine facilities will continue to be used so unless decided otherwise by district/municipal administration. Similarly, some part/whole of the balance unused capacity (67 per cent) can also be used for quarantine facility by district/municipal administration&rdquo.

However, stays will be different now, keeping in mind a series of measures to ensure the safety of guests and staff. For instance, they will only take in asymptomatic patients, and visitors will have to download the contact tracing app, Aarogya Setu.

Also (and this is a no-brainer), only establishments which are outside containment zones will be allowed to operate.

The hotels also have to make sure that they are taking additional measures to make all public areas safer with cleaning protocols in place. After a person&rsquos stay, the room has to be left unoccupied for at least 24 hours. All financial transactions will be done through digital payment, and QR codes to ensure minimal contact. 

The move will be a much-needed boost for the state's travel industry, especially for Mumbai which sees a sizeable number of business travellers every month.