HBI Staff | Hyderabad 
The Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation (JKTDC) has officially taken over possession of the Hotel Ashok building and its surrounding land measuring 64 kanals in Gulmarg. This decision follows an order issued in June by the Commissioner Secretary, J&K Tourism Department, Yasha Mudgal.
According to the order, the hotel has been handed over to the Managing Director of JKTDC on an “as-is-where-is basis” for the purpose of outsourcing and further management. The process stems from a long-standing agreement that began in 1984 when the Housing and Urban Development Department (HUDD) leased 64 kanals of government land to the India Tourism Development Corporation Limited (ITDC) for 40 years to construct a hotel. However, ITDC was unable to complete the project and eventually decided to return the land and its incomplete structure to the J&K Tourism Department.
The transfer of Hotel Ashok to the J&K government was formalized in September 2018 under the central government’s disinvestment policy. This transfer was approved by the Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by the Prime Minister. At the time, then Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had highlighted the need to return such properties to state governments if joint leasing proposals were not agreeable.
In line with this directive, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Gulmarg Development Authority (GDA) and the Executive Engineer were deputed to New Delhi in November 2017 to take charge of the hotel on behalf of the J&K Tourism Department. On November 16, 2017, the CEO officially assumed control of the property from ITDC on an “as-is-where-is basis.”
The June order by the J&K Tourism Department further specified that the department would outsource Hotel Ashok through JKTDC, along with other tourism properties. The CEO of Gulmarg Development Authority was subsequently authorized to transfer possession of the hotel and its adjoining land to the Managing Director of JKTDC.
An official from JKTDC confirmed that while the corporation has taken over Hotel Ashok, the outsourcing process has yet to commence. He noted that tenders for outsourcing the hotel, similar to those issued for Centaur Hotel in Srinagar, would be floated soon. The official added that any tender for Hotel Ashok would include conditions for its renovation.
“The process has been delayed over the past five to six months, but we are working on issuing tenders shortly to ensure the property is renovated and operationalized efficiently,” the official stated.
Source: Greater Kashmir
