Trident reopens amid tight security

The Trident hotel, one of the targets of November 26 terror attacks, reopened today after three weeks of refurbishment work.

The hotel, readied in 25 days after the terror attack, in which 30 guests and staffers were shot by terrorists, reopened following a multi-religious prayer meeting in its lobby attended by several prominent citizens including Chief Minister Ashok Chavan.

Some guests walked in amidst tight security to occupy the refurbished rooms to a traditional Indian welcome by saree-clad women staff of Trident.

"If a guest walks in, there won't be a single scratch to remind him or her of the attack," Trident President Rattan Keswani told reporters on the eve of the reopening of the 550-room, 35-storeyed hotel.

Bookings for about 100 rooms have already been made at the hotel today and it was not immediately clear how many had been occupied so far.

One report said about 40 guests have checked-in so far.