Hotels in Kullu, Manali to remain shut till Sept

Tribune News Service

Mandi, July 7

The Hoteliers Association Kullu-Manali today unanimously decided to keep hotels closed till September this year. The decision was taken at a meeting of the executive members of the association at Manali.

A majority of the members expressed their unwillingness to open their hotels in the current situation, as Covid-19 cases were rising in the state. Several gram panchayats of Manali had requested the association to not open hotels for tourists until Covid cases were rising.

Anup Thakur, president of the association, said, “We have taken a unanimous decision to keep hotels in Kullu and Manali shut till September. As soon as the situation improves and the Covid cases start reducing considerably in the state and in India, we will open the hotels in Kullu and Manali for tourists. We are keen to restart our businesses for our survival but not at the cost of human health and lives. Around 90 per cent hotels and home stay facilities are situated in villages. The villagers are apprehensive that the opening of hotels for tourists may lead to the spread of Covid in their area,” he added.

He said that many hotels in Kullu and Manali were not registered with their association and hence it was the duty of the district administration to a keep check on them. “We urge the district administration and the Tourism Department to provide a crash course to all stakeholders in Kullu and Manali about preventive measures for Covid,” said Thakur.

41 without covid -ve report turned back

Tourists started visiting Kullu and Manali without a Covid-negative report after the government opened the borders for anyone willing to visit the state. The influx of tourists has become a cause for concern for local people in Kullu district. On Monday, the Kullu police forced 41 tourists to return from the Bajaura check post because they were not carrying Covid-negative reports.