The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has suggested the Indian government allow international flight services with adherence to all safety precautions and reopen tourist destinations, multiplexes and cinemas and metro rail services, and in its Unlock 3.0 roadmap.
It has recommended that Indian and foreign carriers be allowed to operate between two countries and India should allow foreigners to travel to India on a reciprocal basis and that a Standard Quarantine Protocol should be issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to be followed by all states to facilitate smooth transit and clarity of rules for passengers.
FICCI has suggested that the authorities should accept the COVID negative certificate issued by the origin country. Visas should be revived for persons from such origin country, it has said.
Airports should provide support and resources to set up 'safe corridor', it added.
The industry chamber has also favoured the reopening of schools and educational institutions keeping in mind the local situation, as it outlined standard operating procedures for lifting of several restrictions as part of Unlock 3.0.
As the world continues to battle the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become clear that a strategy of long-term total lockdown is simply unsustainable for most economies, FICCI stated.
"As lockdown orders continue to be enforced in many parts of the country, businesses and livelihoods are under tremendous pressure due to the collapsed demand, layoffs, and wage reductions," it said.
On the tourism and hospitality sector, FICCI has said that clear cut dates should be announced by the states to open tourism, monuments, tourist attractions, hotels, restaurants and bars.
"All states/UTs should have a clear date and announce this for every vertical under tourism so that this also gives time to the stakeholders to prepare themselves accordingly," it said.
The tourism body Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality (FAITH) has estimated the losses due to the coronavirus pandemic on the sector at INR 15 lakh crore.
"Given the way the virus is progressing, tourism supply chains have broken down in India across all its key inbound, domestic and outbound markets and is not expected to recover for the next five months too making the total impact to a minimum of nine months starting from this March. The direct and indirect economic impact of tourism industry in India is estimated at about 10 per cent of the GDP," FAITH said in a statement.
