Hotels, malls demand relaxation in rules; state looks to Centre

In a big relief to hotels in Bengaluru and across the state, the state government has assured the Bruhat Bangalore Hotels Association of relaxing the lockdown rules from June 1.

The association members met Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Tuesday, requesting to allow hotels to offer dine-in services, to which the chief minister responded positively, according to the members.

Sources close to the chief minister revealed to DH that he has written to the Centre, seeking relaxation on hotel services. “Only after the Centre’s guidelines, will the state relax the rules for hotels,” said a senior official from the chief minister's office.

Association president P C Rao told DH that Yediyurappa has responded positively to their request.

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“The chief minister told us that the state government will allow the functioning of the hotels from June 1. Accordingly, we will offer dine-in services from June 1,” rao said.

The Karnataka chapter of the Shopping Centre Association of India (SCAI) petitioned the chief minister to allow malls to reopen, promising to take all the necessary precautions.

Over 82 malls across the state provide employment (directly and indirectly) to nearly one lakh people, the association said. Malls and other major shopping centres contributed approximately Rs 3,600 crore to the state exchequer via GST, other taxes and levies, it said.

The association has come up with a set of standard operating procedures (SOP) that was to Yediyurappa.

Half day at malls?

Malls should be allowed to function on a single shift (half-day) at least, the association pleaded. To offset losses caused due to the lockdown, they sought various incentives, including waiver in property tax payment, licence renewals, and electricity bills, among other levies.