The Hindu : Front Page : Hoteliers, police reach accord on entry of guests

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
ePaper

Front Page

Front Page

Hoteliers, police reach accord on entry of guests

Staff Reporter

Anand gives thumbs-up for digital video recorders

Commissioner of Police C.V. Anand arriving for the meeting on Tuesday.

VIJAYAWADA: The disagreement between hoteliers and the City Police over regulating the entry of guests has ended positively with Police Commissioner C.V. Anand approving the Vijayawada Hotel Owners Association alternative plan to digitally record all the check-in and checkouts. The VHOA, on Tuesday, gave a presentation to the city police about Digital Video Recorder (DVRs) as an alternative to web cameras suggested by the police.

The city police sought to regulate the entry of guests into hotels and lodges in the wake of T.V. anchor B. Lakshmi Sujatha's murder in a lodge in Governorpet nearly three months ago. The city police insisted that the photographs of all the guests should be recorded invariably.

After a three-month exercise and consultations, the association came up with the idea of installing DVRs.

The association representatives explained that a closed circuit camera (CC camera) attached to a DVR would record all the movements in and around the reception. "We can avoid taking photographs with web cameras if the DVR is installed," VHOA secretary S. Pattabhi Ram said. Mr. Ram said the data could be stored up to 90 days. For a camera, DVR and a hard disc it would cost around Rs. 15,000, and an hotelier have to shell out Rs. 2,500 for each additional camera.

Stringent checks

The police also suggested that all possible details such as telephone and cell numbers, and address of the customers be recorded.

The police also wanted the hotels to cross verify the cell phone numbers by making a call to the cell phone numbers provided by customers.

The VHOA has agreed to implement this suggestion in toto.

Mr. Anand, however, did not agree to relax the timings of closure of restaurants. MLC Ilapuram Venkaiah, VHOA president K Praksam and others were present. The association, earlier, felicitated Mr. Venkaiah for being elected MLC unanimously.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page