Union Tourism Minister K Chiranjeevi recently launched a web based Public Service Delivery System for hotel approvals and classification with a view to bring in transparency in granting approvals for hotel projects and classification status to functioning hotels.
Speaking on the occasion Chiranjeevi said that with the help of this system, all applicants seeking hotel project approvals, hotel classification and approvals for other related services will be able to track the progress of their cases online on a real time basis. “By putting this system in place, there will be a pressure on the officers of the Ministry to deliver on time and an increased accountability on their part. Now onwards, all applications will have to be examined within 15 working days from receipt for completeness. Thereafter, all hotel inspections will be scheduled within next 15 working days. The recommendations of Hotel and Restaurants Approval & Classification Committee will be communicated on the spot to the applicant and these recommendations will also be put on web with final decision within 10 days of the inspection”.
The Minister stated that in due course, the Tourism Ministry would move towards an e-regime and accept e-applications and proposals. The Ministry of Tourism will now erect such systems in other spheres of functioning also. Chiranjeevi urged his officers in the Ministry and industry to work in ‘one vision one mission’ framework.
Nakul Anand, President, Hotel Association of India; Vivek Nair, President, Federation of Hotels & Restaurants Association of India and Rakesh Mathur, Executive Committee Member, Heritage Hotels Association of India lauded the efforts of the Ministry and stated that this is a path breaking initiative taken by the Ministry of Tourism to bring transparency in its functioning.
Presently, the hotel promoters and owners seek voluntary approval from the Ministry of Tourism for their projects and classification from one Star to Five Star Deluxe by submitting applications. These requests are processed for a final decision within 90 days from the receipt of applications. At present, the applicants remain unaware of the status of their applications till the final decision is conveyed to them.
With the new move, all information relating to such applications indicating the latest status will be put on the website of the Ministry of Tourism. All applicants will be given a password to access the details posted on the web. The web details will indicate the date of receipt of applications, status regarding project approval, proposed date of the visit of Hotel and Restaurant Classification Committee, final recommendation of the Committee and final status of Classification/Approval. This measure will bring in more transparency, make officials more accountable in working and enable the applicants to access information and check status of their applications sitting at their own places.
