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Delhi: The hospitality industry has raised concerns over “high-handed” state government orders to requisition hotels as quarantine or treatment centres, and hoteliers not being compensated for services offered through the lockdown.
CHL Ltd, owner of Hotel Surya that was mentioned in a Delhi government order, filed a writ petition in Delhi High Court, challenging the order. On Thursday, the court directed the government to appoint an expert committee and deal with the petitioner's representation. The matter stands adjourned to June 9.
Luv Malhotra, owner of Hotel Surya, had told ET previously that he was stunned to see his hotel’s name in the order and that he had not been consulted.
Crowne Plaza, Sheraton, Hotel Siddharth and Hotel Jivitesh can also be attached to designated hospitals to accommodate
Covid-19 patients, read the order.
Both Ficci and
CII have also sent letters to chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on the matter. Dipak Haksar, advisor to CII’s national committee on tourism and hospitality, wrote that the government order has caused “deep consternation” in an industry already reeling under the pressure of revenue and job losses.
CII has appealed to the chief minister to reconsider this decision as it states that hotels are neither designed nor equipped to deal with cases of this nature.
“We are approaching all state governments to urge them to release compensationWe cannot be expected to slide into further losses while offering our hotels to save lives,” said Gurbaxish Singh Kohli, vice-president, Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India.