Freeloaders among officials bleed hotels
Scared of raids, hotel owners, managers remain silent
While restaurants in the twin cities are severely hit due to Covid-19 outbreak, their owners still have to “entertain” government staff, including those of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and police, by letting them have food free at their eateries.
Surprisingly, the freeloaders, including officials of the rank of additional commissioners, zonal commissioners, deputy commissioners and assistant medical officers of health, particularly the last, are not bothered about paying their bill after having food. Hotel owners and managers remain silent as, otherwise, their premises get raided with regard to violations of food safety, wrong parking or property tax payments.
Among the freeloaders is a former employee of GHMC, who is now working for the Governor’s office at Raj Bhavan. He has his quota of free breakfast and meals on a regular basis and on occasions brings his family and friends too.
On receiving this information, Deccan Chronicle visited one of the hotels at Rasoolpura in Begumpet at 10.30 am on Monday and found the ex-GHMC employee now serving at Raj Bhavan having free breakfast followed by a cup of Horlicks and leaving for his office.
On inquiring from the hotel staff, they said the official regularly visits the hotel at 10:30 am for his free breakfast. During weekends, he comes with his friends and family for lavish free meals. “He is not the only one. Officials from lower to higher rungs regularly have free food here,” the employees charged.
According to several hotel managements, who want to remain anonymous, only 25 per cent of hotels in the city are operating unable to bear the heavy rentals and lack of customers post lockdown. They maintain that of the
25 per cent business, revenues are only 15 per cent, as they are forced to supply free meals worth around `12,000 each day on an average.
“Post lockdown, my business has seen a major dip from `4 lakh a day to
`40,000 a day. However, we are still forced to supply free meals ranging from
`10,000 to `15,000 a day for high ranking officials and lower rung police staff. None of us dares to deny a free meal since the officials might seal the building on the pretext of building violation, lack of parking space, compromised quality of food and running business beyond time," said an employee of a popular hotel near Rasoolpura junction, which is famous for breakfast.
Hotel associations say their business is at the mercy of officials. So, they let them have free food to avoid trouble on a regular basis. To run a profitable business, hoteliers invariably end up violating some rule of the other. Their hands are thus tied and they cannot complain.
Meanwhile, S. Venkat Reddy, president of Telangana State Hotels Association, said association members are planning to submit a representation to the GHMC seeking waiver of fee for trade licence and property tax because of the Covid-19 crisis. They will also approach the electricity authorities for collecting only nominal electricity charges for the current financial year. “Only they can rescue the hotel industry, which has suffered heavily post lockdown,” Venkat Reddy stated.
ACCORDING TO several hotel managements, who want to remain anonymous, only 25 per cent of hotels in the city are operating unable to bear the heavy rentals and lack of customers post lockdown.
THEY MAINTAIN that of the 25% business, revenues are only 15%, as they are forced to supply free meals worth around `12,000 each day on an average.