Lockdown 5.0: Centre considers States' suggestions to reopen tourism, hospitality sector

As the nation fights COVID-19 pandemic, the Centre is working on several suggestions given by the States along with demands to reopen the tourism and hospitality sector.

The economies of States and Union Territories such as Puducherry, Kerala, Goa and some North-eastern blocks, that are heavily dependent on tourism and hospitality sector, are suffering due to the nationwide lockdown. In the fifth phase of lockdown, the Centre is exploring ways to open hotels, restaurants, beaches, etc. It is most likely that the Centre may grant more relaxations which will kick start economic activities across the country.

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"Those states which rely on tourism and hospitality are still struggling and these States have demanded to ease out rules for such sectors. It is expected that lockdown 5.0 may get a breather for the tourism and hospitality industry," a senior government official told ANI.

"States have suggested ways to open hotels, restaurants, tourism, etc by limiting the number of visitors and maintaining mandatory social distancing. States have said that they can allow dine-in facilities with a limited number of sitting capacity, temperature check of visitors and Aarogya Setu App must for all visitors. States have requested Centre that through this, they can augment revenue collections required to run the state," official added.

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Centre gears up for Lockdown 5.0

In lockdown 5.0, the government has planned a road map to further ease out restriction in order to accelerate the country's economic activities. However, the Centre is yet to take a final call. The Centre is likely to retain a limited role and allow States and Union Territories to make decisions on whether to tighten or give additional relaxations in the next phase of the lockdown in their respective jurisdictions, officials said on Friday.

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The Centre may, however, advise State authorities to continue with strict curbs in COVID-19 containment zones in the worst-affected 30 municipal areas that account for 80 percent of the positive cases in the country.

Meanwhile, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday requested Home Minister Amit Shah to extend the lockdown for 15 more days, with certain relaxations in place. The Goa Government has demanded that restaurants should be allowed to function with social distancing at 50 percent capacity. Many people also want gyms to resume, he added. In another development, hotels in Bengaluru are likely to open in June based on the State government’s guidelines on the resumption of services.

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