Coronavirus: Maharashtra hotels now open with 33% capacity

Mumbai, July 06: Amid spike in coronaviruscases, the Maharashtra government on Monday decided to allow hotels and other entities providing accommodation services like lodges and guest houses outside containment zones to operate from July 8 at 33 per cent of their capacity.

Fresh guidelines issued by Uddhav Thackeray government allowed hotels and lodges with 33 percent capacity. Only hotels and lodges outside of containment zones will be allowed to repoen as part of mission Begin Again.

The permission has been granted on conditions of strict social distancing norms and other protocols.

In a bid to reopen industries in a staggered manner in the state, the Thackeray government had last month launched the ''Mission Begin Again'' or Unlock 1.

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Urging the hotel industry not to retrench workersas the ''Mission Begin Again'' is underway, the CM said reopening would be done carefully with the emphasis on health and safety.

Meanwhile, Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray has hailed the role of the hotel industry in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The (hotel) industry has played an important role since day one (of the COVID-19 outbreak) by housing frontline warriors in hotels and lodges," Aaditya said while addressing the virtual meeting, after the CM.

With strict lockdown in place, the hotel and restaurant industry is losing over Rs 6 crore per day.