Hotels in Ludhiana draw a blank on Day 1
Wear a deserted look as the staff kept on waiting for customers the entire day
The hotels, which opened after over two-and-a-half months of lockdown on Monday in the city, wore a deserted look as the staff kept on waiting for customers.
While luxury hotels, including Park Plaza, Hyatt Regency, Radisson Blu, etc kept their doors closed, the mid-segment hoteliers, that decided to open, rued that not a single customer stepped in till Monday evening.
Relieved over the relaxation given by the government to open the hotels, hoteliers rued that the fear of infection among the people and the restrictions imposed on the inter-state movement were taking a toll on their business.
Owner of Hotel Green on the Railway Station Road Amarjit Singh said, “Restrictions on the inter-state movement are affecting their business as the visitors, who come from Chandigarh and other districts, go back to their homes the same day. The customers, who visit the city for business from Delhi and other states, book rooms in hotels, but very few people are visiting the industrial town due to the pandemic.”
With the government allowing the hotels to open, owners were expecting they would be allowed to organise events with a gathering of 50 people in banquet halls, but their hopes were not fulfilled. The hoteliers are also saving on fixed expenses by opening only a few floors,”
Owner of Nagpal Regency on the Ferozepur Road Manjeet Singh said, “Even after hotels have been allowed to open, the scenario is similar to that of a lockdown. The administration has not allowed holding of events in the banquet halls even with a gathering of 50 people. However, customers are approaching us for organising events. We have taken up the matter with the administration, but no relief has yet been provided.”
President of the Hotel and Restaurants Association Amarvir Singh said, “The situation will not become normal till the time trains run and the inter-state movement is allowed. All the 125 hotels, that opened in Ludhiana on Monday, received nil response till evening. However, we have taken all the precautionary measures.”
The hotels have provided hand sanitisers at the entry points of all the hotels. A few of them have decided to allow entry to only a limited number of persons inside the hotel. At a few hotels, the security staff have also been provided with handy machines to sanitise the shoe soles of the visitors. The hotels have also decided to keep a record of telephone numbers of customers.