JKTDC takes over Hotel Ashok Gulmarg
Srinagar, Dec 14: The J&K Tourism Development Corporation (JKTDC) has taken over the possession of the building along with land measuring 64 kanal of Hotel Ashok at Gulmarg.
The order in this regard was issued in June this year by the Commissioner Secretary, J&K Tourism Department, Yasha Mudgal.
As per the order, the hotel has been taken over by the Managing Director JKTDC on an “as is where is basis” for the purpose of outsourcing and further management of the hotel.
As per the official document, the Housing and Urban Development Department (HUDD) in the year 1984 issued an order wherein around 64 kanal of government land was leased out to India Tourism Development Corporation Limited (ITDC) for 40 years for the construction of a hotel.
“Whereas, ITDC constructed a superstructure in the shape of a hotel - Ashok Hotel Gulmarg, but the project could not be completed and ITDC decided to return the land along with the incomplete structure to the Tourism Department J&K,” the official order reads.
The central government in September 2018 decided to transfer the incomplete Hotel Ashok to the J&K government as part of its disinvestment policy.
The hotel was handed over to the J&K government as a continuation of the Centre’s “disinvestment policy.”
The transfer of the incomplete project of Hotel Ashok Gulmarg, to the J&K government was approved by the Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by the Prime Minister.
“It had been decided to lease and sub-lease the ITDC hotels, properties, units, or ventures jointly with the State governments and the State governments were not agreeing to the proposal. The properties may be returned to them at its officially valued price," the then finance Minister Arun Jaitley had said as per media reports.
Meanwhile, as per the order issued by the J&K Tourism department the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Gulmarg Development Authority (GDA) was deputed to New Delhi vide Order No 344 of 2017 (November 14, 2017) along with Executive Engineer Gulmarg for handing over and taking over the charge of Hotel Ashok Gulmarg from ITDC on behalf of Tourism Department, J&K.
On November 16, 2017, the charge of Hotel Ashok Gulmarg was taken over by the then CEO, GDA on an “as-is-where-is-basis” from ITDC.
The order issued by the J&K Tourism Department in June this year reads that the department was in the process of outsourcing Hotel Ashok Gulmarg through J&K TDC along with other properties of the Tourism Department.
“Accordingly, CEO Gulmarg Development Authority is authorised to hand over the possession of Hotel Ashok Gulmarg along with the 64 kanal of land to MD JKTDC on an as-is-where-basis for the purpose of outsourcing and further management of it,” the order reads.
An official of the JKTDC said that Hotel Ashok, Gulmarg, was officially taken over by the TDC but the process for its outsourcing was not yet done.
“The TDC is yet to issue tenders for outsourcing the Hotel Ashok Gulmarg. There was no progress in it in the last five to six months,” the official said.
He said that the corporation was however mulling to issue tenders in the near future to outsource the hotel.
“The Hotel Ashok will be outsourced the way tenders were issued for outsourcing Centaur Hotel Srinagar. The TDC will keep the condition in the tender for renovation of the Ashok Hotel as well,” he said.
