Coronavirus: Evictees from hotels flock to corporation shelters in Chennai

CHENNAI: Corporation-run shelters in the city have some unusual visitors these days. Left with no other option after being forced to vacate their hotel rooms, many tourists and professionals are flocking to these community halls where the destitute usually spent their nights. Despite the state government’s repeated assertion that hotels and lodges already accommodating tourists can continue to function, many of them are forcing customers to vacate immediately. 

Anukul R, a Coimbatore native who came to city on work purpose and was staying in a top hotel opposite to Ripon Buildings, was asked to vacate when the lockdown was declared. “My return ticket was on March 28.  Now I don’t know how long I will have to stay in the corporation shelter,’’ he said from the corporation shelter in Royapuram. When Express visited several popular hotels, OYO rooms and lodges in areas including Parrys, Central, Egmore, Nungambakkam, and T Nagar, many were closed. Civic body officials, meanwhile, said they have been receiving thousands of calls from tourists and others as lodges and hotels continue to shut down.

G Mahesh, a techie from Vellore currently staying in a community shelter at Central, said he was asked to vacate his Oyo room in Egmore. “I was told to leave on March 24. The hotel authorities said they couldn’t maintain operations just for a few guests,’’ he said. Though it is just two hours from Chennai to Vellore, Mahesh thinks he could return only after the curfew is over. Srinivasan, a member of Chennai Hoteliers Association, said food supply would be one of the main reasons behind closure of hotels and lodges.

“The hotels will find it hard to cope with operating costs and delay in supplies. Hence, it is hard to keep guests. This might have forced them to close,’’ he said. Meanwhile, corporation officials said its community shelters will welcome everyone with open hands. “If there is a spike in people seeking shelter, we will see if corporation schools can be open to accommodate them,’’ said an official.