New Delhi, Aug 22 (IANS): The government Friday said hotel classification and reclassification procedure has been simplified to reduce red-tapism and accelerate the process of giving clearances and licences to hotels.

"The hotels would be required to submit only the current and valid trade licence and bar licence, if applicable," Tourism and Culture Minister Shripad Yesso Naik said in a statement.

"The procedure will be simplified by not seeking the licences and clearances which are issued by various local, state and central government authorities for operation of hotels," he added.

The hotels have to submit land utilisation and building completion certificates plus clearances of coastal zone regulation, forest and environment, pollution control, police, fire safety, airport authority, and health and sanitation, among others, to get the nod for hotel classification and reclassification.

Naik, however, said classification or reclassification will remain valid only if "the hotel has all licences and clearances required under various acts, rules, regulations or guidelines issued by the state or central government for operation of the hotel".