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30 hotels register for re-opening in Goa

Panaji: 30 hotels have applied to the Goa Tourism Department for permission to re-open, an official said on Tuesday, adding that the state government was in the process of formulating an SOP and guidelines for re-opening of the hospitality sector. Director, Tourism, Menino D'Souza also said that the state had not yet opened its doors for tourism activity yet. "We have received around 30 applications from various hotels as of now. We will scrutinise these and after the government takes a call, we will allow them to open," he told reporters here. Only those hotels which register with the Tourism Department will be allowed to open, he added. D'Souza also said that the applicants also have to provide a self-declaration form in which the hotel managements have to give in writing that they have adhered to the existing guidelines issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for hotels. "All hotels which are willing to comply with the guidelines, have to apply to the department. We will verify whether they are in a position to comply with the guidelines," he said, adding that the final nod would be given to them only after the state government forms a special SOP for the state for restarting of hotels. Goa is one of the top beach and tourism destinations in the country. But the tourism industry in the state has taken a hit on account of the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Maharashtra cabinet approves Tata Group’s proposal for setting up 5-star tourism centre

The Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), a subsidiary of Tata Group has received Maharashtra cabinet’s approval on their proposal for allotting 54.40 hectares of land in coastal Sindhudurg on a 90-year lease. The hospitality chain had requested the allotment of land for setting up a five-star tourism centre. The upcoming facility, which will be a first-of-its kind in the district, will come up in Shitole Velghar village in Vengurla. The land for the upcoming project has been acquired by the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC). "Tourism is the main service sector to boost the state's economic development and hence the government has decided to set up a five-star tourism centre in Sindhudurg district," the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said in a statement.

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Taj Hotels gets 54 hectares to set up tourism centre in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg

MUMBAI: Maharashtra cabinet on Tuesday approved a proposal to lease land in Vengurla, Sindhudurg, to Indian Hotels Company, the parent company of Taj Hotels, to set up a tourism centre. According to the proposal, 54 hectares in Shiroda Velagar will be given out on lease at a nominal rate to IHC to set up a five-star tourism centre, which will have luxury rooms and cottages. Shiv Sena and NCP have a strong hold in Konkan region, and clearing projects there will help them strengthen their base. Officials said the proposal was envisaged in 1995 after Sindhudurg was named a tourism district. Between 1994-98 part of the land was acquired by Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation and allotted to the company, but the project did not take off. The state government plans to revive it. The plot will be leased at Re1 rent and one-time premium of 110% of ready-reckoner rate, officials said.

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Malaysia Airlines to resume international flights including India

Malaysia Airlines will restart some of its international flights in July to facilitate essential travel, allowing families who have not been able to reunite due to travel restrictions across the globe. The airline informs that passengers are, however, reminded to check entry and exit requirements before their journeys with travel restrictions remaining in place in most countries. The airline said that the carrier will adjust its network capacity from time to time to ensure passenger demands are met, prior to normalising the schedule in October for both domestic and international destinations. From July, the airline will resume some international flights to Singapore, Bangkok, Surabaya, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Taipei and Guangzhou among other cities. The airline has also announced to recommence twice-weekly services between Kuala Lumpur and Dhaka, Kathmandu, London, Osaka, Narita, Icheon, Hong Kong, Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Denpasar, Phuket and Cambodia from July. Full schedule on international and other domestic operations can be viewed here. Malaysia Airlines’ Group chief executive officer, Captain Izham Ismail said, “We are pleased to announce the resumption of our services by increasing capacity to domestic and international routes and we look forward to welcoming our passengers back onboard. We shall continue to ensure their safety, health, as well as their comfort by introducing new initiatives aligned with international safety and health protocols, as part of our commitment to offering passengers peace of mind throughout their journey with us.”

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Air India Bookings From Europe to India Begins From 8 AM GMT Today

Air India International Flights: For Indians stranded in Europe, Air India will operate special flights to India from June 15 to 30. The booking will begin today at 8 AM GMT (1.30 PM IST). This is under the third phase of Vande Bharat Mission. “Please note that the applicant should be registered with local Indian Embassy/High Commission,” the Air India tweeted. However, it has been found out that many passengers are not being able to book domestic tickets to their home states.However, it has been found out that many passengers are not being able to book domestic tickets to their home states. Boarding a connecting domestic flight from Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru is not allowed for the international passengers as they will have to undergo the quarantine period. OCI cardholders, covered under the four permitted categories announced by the government of India, are eligible to travel.

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Indian Railways Introduces Touch-Free Wash Basin At Guwahati Railway Station

Delhi, June 8: Doctors, health officials and all others in essential services are at the front line in the fight against novel coronavirus. Among them, Indian Railways is also contributing by running shramik trains, special passengers to transport stranded citizens. As the government has advised washing hands frequently with soap and water, there are chances that virus can spread at public places, where people have to touch the tap to wash their hands However, Indian Railways has come up with a smart solution for this problem. The national transporter has introduced touch-free wash basin at Guwahati Railway station in Assam. The user can wash hands without touching the tap or soap dispenser. Train Coaches Turned Into Isolation Wards by Indian Railways Ready For COVID-19 Patients at Delhi's Shakurbasti Railway Station, View Pics. "Touch free wash basin installed at Guwahati Railway Station It is helping passengers wash their hands without touching the tap or soap dispenser. #IndiaFightsCorona," Indian Railways said. Recently, as part of its "Swachh Rail-Swachh Bharat" initiative, the Railways has installed bio-toilets across 68,000 coaches. "A total of 49,487 bio-toilets have been installed in 14,916 coaches during 2019-20. This takes the cumulative number of bio-toilets to more than 2,45,400 fitted in 68,800 coaches with a coverage of 100 per cent," the Indian Railways said in a statement. These developments come at a time when the country is dealing with an unprecedented health crisis caused by COVID-19 and the only way to contain the disease is cleanliness and proper hygiene.

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