SCIM Field visit: GRT Grand Chennai

                  RRU Puducherry SCIM student visited GRT Grand Chennai, a luxury hotel in T. Nagar, Chennai, India, owned by G.R. Thanga Maligai (P) Ltd, a jewelry organization. The hotel has nine floors with 133 rooms, including six suites. It features food and beverage sections such as Any Time, Copper Point, Azulia, and High Time and a coffee shop on the ground floor. The hotel has about 8,200 sq. ft. of banquet space with a total seating capacity of about 750 persons. In December 2001, the hotel was awarded the ISO 9001:2000 certification. During our visit, Mr. Suresh Jaihind, Safety & Security Manager, welcomed us. We were taken to a small banquet hall next to a theatre, an entertainment area for staff working there.

             Mr. Karthick Murali Kumar, a cluster loss prevention manager in Grand & Regency, introduced aspects of physical security, stating that it has two main areas: Men and Material. He stressed the necessity of identifying the root cause and addressing the concern. He emphasized that they always prepare for the worst-case scenario. During Diwali, they keep hose pipes ready for emergencies as the hotel is an atrium-style building. They have a power backup, including a UPS setup that can efficiently run daily to handle critical business processes.

              Additionally, generators are in place. Only 20 people attended during the walkathon, and proper arrangements, such as first aid and an ambulance, were made. He highlighted the importance of informing law enforcement about incidents and building strong networks with them. After Karthick Murali Kumar’s session, Mr. Balaji took us on a hotel tour. He mentioned that the lift is restricted, allowing access only to designated floors using a key card. He explained the Ansul Kitchen System, a pre-engineered, automatic fire suppression system capable of handling large, hazardous fires without human intervention. Refilling the system costs around ₹3 lakh. The hotel falls under the orange zone.

      Students witnessed the Simplex fire alarm system and its functioning. We observed the 42 kg LPG and LOX gas cylinders outside the hotel. These gases are primarily stored as liquids, which vaporize and are sent to the kitchen. Due to high flame usage, LPG sometimes freezes, causing 30% of the gas to go unused. The gas storage area is guarded, with a fire extinguisher placed nearby. The guest entrance has an ANPR camera, which records all guest vehicle movements. The hotel has 192 cameras installed in and around the premises, with 60 more being implemented. Food waste is converted into manure for use in the hotel’s garden. Every night, the complete guest list is submitted to the police station. Foreign guests must register with the FRRO (Foreigners Regional Registration Office) using their passport details. Flood barriers are placed at the entrance during flood incidents.