Two luxury hotels that were stormed by militants re-opened amid tight security in Mumbai Sunday, less than a month after devastating attacks that rocked India's financial and entertainment hub. The Trident and Taj Mahal hotels received their first guests since the carnage, with staff praised for their dedication and resilience as others called for defiance in the face of extremism. Ratan Tata, the head of the Tata Group conglomerate that owns the Taj, dedicating the relaunch to all those who lost their lives, said the swift reopening of the hotel's modern Tower wing was the start of a “new era”. “I believe that the opening of this hotel will send a message that we can come alive again in a record period of time and play a role and continue to be part of this great city,” Tata told reporters. “We can be hurt but we will never fall,” he told reporters. The 105-year-old Palace wing of the Taj remains closed but Tata said its reopening “would send an even stronger message, not just for the Taj but for the community of Mumbai that we can be hurt but we cannot be knocked down”. Both hotels were officially reopened after commemoration services, where prayers were said by religious leaders for the 163 civilians and security personnel who died and the nearly 300 others who were injured. Some 22 guests and 10 staff were killed at the Trident, while 31 people died at the iconic red-domed Taj, including 12 employees. The names of all those who died at the Taj will be inscribed at the base of a “Tree of Life” that was unveiled during a private reception for Mumbai's elite Sunday afternoon, Tata said. Staff at both hotels have won high praise for their work during and after the attacks. R.K. Krishna Kumar, vice-chairman of the Indian Hotels Company that runs the Taj, described employees as “heroes”, while Trident Hotels president Rattan Keswani said he felt “deep pride” in all his staff. Kumar said new security measures include armed, undercover security guards, airport-quality luggage screening machines and more metal detectors. He said staff will go through bags more conscientiously and question all those who enter the lobby. The government promised its help with security. “People do not need to worry about security. The state administration and the police would put in all efforts to prevent terror attacks in future,” Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan said Sunday, according to PTI. Among the first guests at the Trident were Canadian Rick McElrea and his family, who arrived for breakfast. “It's a statement to terrorists that this does not close down business. This does not close down hotels,” said McElrea, who lives in Mumbai but is originally from the Canadian capital Ottawa. “I don't feel any fear. I feel hope,” he said. “The terrorists failed and Mumbaikars won.” About 100 of the Trident's 550 rooms were booked Sunday night while the Taj, where 278 rooms were available, was 65 percent full. Both hotels reported healthy reservations for their restaurants. Security was tight, with armed guards and barricades at both hotels. Roads around the Taj have been sealed since the shooting stopped on November 29, while access to the Trident was severely restricted.
