Hotels, malls get ready to open doors

Bhubaneswar: Hotels, restaurants and shopping malls outside containment zones in the capital city are gearing up to resume their services after the Centre allowed these sectors to start functioning from June 8.
Following social distancing norms, using protective equipment and maintaining utmost hygiene will be the ‘new normal’ for both the customers and employees of the hospitality industry and shopping centres.
Souvagya Mohapatra, executive director of the Mayfair group of hotels, welcomed the decision of the Centre and said they will maintain their quality along with other standard operating procedures (SOP) for the hotel industry to be issued by the Union ministry of health and family welfare soon.
“We have already started the process of cleaning and sanitizing the premises of the hotel. As the hotel rooms were closed during lockdown, they will not need sanitization. But we will continue to do that after the arrival of guests. We are planning to keep the hotel rooms empty for 24 hours after a guest leaves. Then we will clean or sanitize the hotel room,” Mohapatra said. He added that the hotel has accommodation for its staff. Many of them are staying on hotel premises. Others will also join at short notice.
Jagdish Prasad Naik, managing director, DN Regalia Mall, said they have already sanitized the mall.
“We will tell every customer to wash their hands or use sanitizer before entering into the mall. When they walk into the main entrance, security guards will screen their body temperature using infrared thermometers” he added.