With quarantine norms revised, Indian returnees must be refunded part of their advance by hotels: Centre

NEW DELHI: Indian returnees from abroad who had paid hotels in advance for their 14-day quarantine stay but can now leave after seven days under revised norms, must be refunded the balance room charges by the hotel, the home ministry has directed the states/UTs.

As per health ministry guidelines for international arrivals issued on Sunday, protocol for institutional quarantine stands revised to seven days followed by another seven days of home quarantine after medical assessment. The earlier quarantine norms required 14-day continuous stay in institutional quarantine upon arrival in India.

In a letter to the chief secretaries/UT administrators, home secretary Ajay Bhalla said it had been brought to the notice of MHA that Indian nationals quarantined in hotels after their return from abroad were made to pay advance for 14 days. “Since they can now leave for home quarantine after seven days, the amount paid by them for the remaining seven days needs to be refunded to them, which some hotels are refusing to refund,” he underlined.

The home secretary has now requested the state/UT governments to issue necessary directions to hotels earmarked/used for institutional quarantine, to ensure that foreign returnees who were quarantined in hotels and paid advance of 14 days, are refunded their balance amount without any delay.