Final preparations were taking place in Mumbai Saturday to prepare the two luxury hotels stormed by Islamist militants for reopening, amid tight security and pledges to return to business as usual. The modern Tower wing of the Taj Mahal hotel and all of the nearby Trident hotel are due to relaunch Sunday, less than a month after the devastating attacks that left 172 people, including nine of the gunmen, dead.
Guests will begin checking in at the Trident from Sunday morning, while more than 1,000 key clients and guests have been invited for a private reception at the Taj, officials at both hotels said. "It's the best thing that could have happened," the general manager of the Trident, Sanju Soni, told AFP when asked about the swift reopening.
"A hotel without guests is very depressing, especially after what happened. "We are all looking forward to it. The sooner life gets back to normal the better." One hotel employee, who asked not to be named, added: "It's good to be back at work."
The Trident threw open its doors to the media Saturday, allowing access to its gallery of high-end shops, reception and restaurant areas, as finishing touches were put to the decor and fittings. Security was tight, with staff checking identification, searching bags and frisking people. Armed police were positioned behind a sandbagged security position at the entrance and access roads were blocked off.
At a news conference, the president of Trident Hotels, Rattan Kewani, paid tribute to the efforts of the staff to get the hotel back in shape, saying he felt "deep pride" for their work both during and after last month's attacks. "Yes, there is grief, there is definitely a huge amount of sadness in everybody's mind because of colleagues and guests that we lost," Kewani said.
"But since those days and the days after that, they have been committed 100 percent to whatever the needs are and they are desirous that the hotel bounces back as quickly as possible." A total of 22 guests and 10 staff were killed at the Trident during the November 26-29 siege.
The adjoining Oberoi hotel was more badly damaged by gunfire and grenade blasts. No date has yet been set for its reopening. The 105-year-old palace wing of the Taj, which was badly damaged by fire and gunshots during the 60-hour siege, is also closed pending renovation work.