Tourism in Uttarakhand used to be at its peak in June but the industry has been severely hit due to the coronavirus lockdown. (Express photo by Shuaib Masoodi)

Hotels located in non-containment zones can resume business from Monday but they will not be allowed to take bookings from customers arriving from high-load Covid-19 cities, the Uttarakhand government has announced.

While issuing set of guidelines to reopen restaurants, shopping malls and religious places/places of worship, chief secretary Utpal Kumar Singh said that all the guests from non high-load Covid-19 cities will have to stay for a minimum of seven days and will not be allowed to visit public places and tourism spots.

When asked why were customers required to stay for the given minimum period, officials said that if a person is carrying some infection, there are chances of manifestation within seven days. If people keep coming and going, it will become difficult to track the cases, they added.

“Initially when we are starting, we want to be cautious. Those who are coming, surveillance of their health status will be done,” Singh said.

The management of the hotels will have to take a written undertaking in this regard and customers violating the order shall be liable to actions per the provisions of section 51 to 60 of the DM Act, 2005 and under section 188 of the IPC.

All hotels/ B&B/ Homestay & hospitality services shall be allowed to resume in areas, barring the containment zones and municipal area of Dehradun till further orders, the notification read.

Tourism in state used to be at its peak in June but this year, the industry has been severely hit by the coronavirus nationwide lockdown.

Speaking to The Indian Express, the chief secretary said customers will have to stay within the hotel premises and will not be allowed to mix around with local population. “We want to adopt a cautious and balanced approach. Tourists will get the benefit of the pleasant weather in Uttarakhand. The situation will be reviewed further,” he said.

However, the tourist spots will be open to the locals of the state.

Besides this, the guidelines also read that the Char-Dham Devasthanam Board, in consultation with the respective district administration and other stakeholders, may decide to open and put necessary restrictions in place.

“However, pilgrims from places outside the state shall not be allowed till further orders,” it read.

Regarding restaurants, owners and managers will require to keep a record of its customers as well as waiters serving them, clearly specifying the date and time.