Kolkata hotels, resorts mulling over reopening pools after COVID

Life limping back on track after COVID pandemic days as hotels, resorts, and clubs in the city that had kept the swimming pools out of bound for guests and members have already started the sanitization and clean-up process before reopening them sometime next month.

The decision was taken after the Home Ministry on Wednesday relaxed the unlock guidelines. Most of the housing complexes, though, will adopt a wait-and-watch policy before making a decision.

“We welcome the decision by the government to reopen the swimming pools. Our members, especially their children, have been waiting for swimming pools to reopen. We will now undertake sanitization process of the pool, followed by a comprehensive water distillation process for next 15 days and some maintenance work to get the swimming pool ready for another season of fun after a gap of one year,” said Sanjay Karmakar, operations manager at Princeton Club on Prince Anwar Shah Road. 

At AltAir hotel in Sector V, the authorities said they already undertake regular cleanup of the swimming pool but once they receive the government sanction to allow guests into the pool, they would run another round of thorough sanitization process before letting guests use the pool maintaining the requisite Covid protocols. Several resorts in and around the city also have similar plans. “We will undertake a thorough clean-up of the pool but won’t allow guests immediately. We would start allowing guests in the water body sometime around Holi,” said Nitin Kohli, director, Ambuja Noetia Hospitality.

At Ibiza, the authorities plan to reopen the pool from next Monday only. “The swimming pool is one of the prime attractions that draw guests to our resort. The pandemic had left us with no option but to close the swimming pool. However, we welcome the decision of the Home Ministry to reopen the swimming pools. We will reopen our pool from February 1, maintaining all government norms,” said Subhadip Basu, general manager, Ibiza, The Fern Resort & Spa, Kolkata.

Swimming coaching centres and dedicated swimming clubs said they would also start preparing for this year’s session due to begin from Marchend. “We will organise a meeting soon to fix the time and date for resuming swimming lessons. We have a heated pool where members can swim throughout the year and will decide at the meeting if we can allow those members on an immediate basis, following the Covid protocols,” said Aurobindo Roy, secretary of the Indian Life Saving Society swimming club in south Kolkata.

Most residential complexes said they would not open the pools on an immediate basis and wait till March to consult all residents’ before taking a decision. “At Urbana, we open our swimming pool from March 15. This year, also, we may open the pool around that time only. We also have a heated swimming pool, but we would like to consult the residents first before throwing it open,” said Debjani Mukherjee, director Urbana Facility Management.