Chitwan, August 13

Hotels in Sauraha, the main gateway to Chitwan National Park, have closed within two weeks after reopening.

Hotels had reopened on July 30 but have closed again from yesterday.

The hotels here had remained closed since March 24 with the imposition of lockdown to stem the spread of coronavirus pandemic and had been opened after four months.

Regional Hotel Association Sauraha President Deepak Bhattarai said hotels had closed again in line with the government’s decision to close hotels in view of the risk of COVID-19.

Bhattarai said hotel entrepreneurs were preparing to open hotels after carrying out repair and maintenance, painting and other works, but they had to close again.

Fomer president of the Association Suman Ghimire suggested it would be appropriate now to open hotels only after the the upcoming Dashain festival (around mid-November).

He said customers and guests would not stay in hotels as long distance transport was closed with the district going into lockdown following increased risk of COVID-19.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on August 14, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.