Taj hotel staff to be under ‘house arrest’ for Barack Obama

The Taj is shutting its doors to other guests as it readies itself for its most important one. But the arrival of Barack Obama doesn’t have the hotel’s staff excited. Reason?

For the two days the US president and his entourage will be at the Taj, the staff will be under virtual house arrest. Worse, they can’t keep their mobile phones with them. “In case of an emergency, they can use a secured phone line, which will be under round-the-clock surveillance for obvious reasons,” said a source in the hotel’s security team.

“Only 10% of the staff will be present at the hotel on November 6 and 7. The rest have been given leave,” he said. A source close to the hotel’s management said that even among the 10% staff, only a core team of 125 will serve the Obamas. “They are the only ones who will have access,” she said.

It goes without saying that all 570 rooms in the hotel have been booked for the duration of Obama’s visit.

“Security is so tight that apart from personnel directly responsible for Obama, no one, not even members of the presidential delegation, will be allowed on the president’s floor. The rooms adjacent, above and below the presidential suit will be occupied by FBI agents — 700 of whom will accompany the Obamas,” the source said.

“Obama’s contingent is huge,” a senior security official at the Taj said. “Two jumbo jets and several security jets are coming along with Air Force One. And the presidential convoy will comprise 45 cars.

“This gives us a sense of the number of people we have to plan logistics for at the Taj. Some peripheral staff of the president will stay at smaller hotels in Colaba.”

Over a tonne of food and equipment has already arrived from the US for the presidential guests.

Chefs at the Taj are working overtime to ensure that the Obamas get to sample Indian specialities. In all likelihood, two Indian and two international dishes, with at least one dessert, will be shortlisted for the American president.