With empty rooms, hotels seek Telangana Government support to keep afloat

Hyderabad: Hit by lockdown following the corona pandemic, hotels and restaurants are seeking government support to keep them going.

According to Hotels and Restaurants Association of Telangana, they are facing irreparable losses and if the government does not intervene, they would even have to close down their businesses. Though the Centre had allowed hotels to start operations, the customers are nowhere to be seen. The government allowed the hotels to provide customers the lodging facility only not the dining facility. Since the rail, road and air travel still in a state of limbo, there is no occupancy as the guests are not coming.

According to Ashok Hemrajani, president of the association, there is an urgent need for hand holding by the Central and State governments.

In a press note issued here on Sudnay, he said that they had recently met the Minister for Industries and IT K T Rama Rao and submitted a memorandum urging him to consider continuation of the trade licence fee with a maximum ceiling cap of Rs 2.5 lakh per annum. This fee was increased by 6-7 times of what it was last year.

They also sought relief in property tax from March to September during which period the hotels, resorts, bar and restaurants were closed. They also met the Minister for Tourism Srinivas Goud and urged him to see that the time for paying excise licence fee due in September was extended by six months. The Association also wants the government to waive the minimum demand charges on electricity consumption.