Order on closure of 9 HPTDC hotels stayed
The division bench of the HP High Court today stayed the order passed by the Single Bench, whereby it had ordered closure of nine hotels of HP Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) due to low occupancy.
A division bench comprising Justice Vivek Singh Thakur and Justice Rakesh Kaithala passed this interim order after hearing the appeal of the HP Tourism Development Corporation challenging the order of the Single Bench.
The corporation assured the court that the dependents of the deceased retired employees will be paid all their retirement benefits within 10 days and 60 to 65 percent of their retirement benefits will be paid to the retired employees of class IV within a month. On this assurance, the court ordered to fix the hearing of the case on January 3. It is worth noting that the HPTDC has challenged the orders of the Single Bench to close nine hotels before the division bench.
On November 22, the Single Bench had given conditional permission to run nine out of 18 hotels till March 31, 2025. The court had said that if these hotels do not make profits by March 31 and are unable to show their maximum performance, then these orders will be reviewed again and appropriate orders will be issued.
In its November 22 order, the court had allowed The Palace Hotel Chail, Hotel Chandrabhaga Keylong, Hotel Deodar Khajjiar, Hotel Bhagsu McLeodganj, Hotel Log Huts Manali, Hotel Dhauladhar Dharamshala, Hotel Meghdoot Kiarighat, Hotel Kunjum Manali and Hotel The Castle Naggar to operate till March 31, 2025.
In its earlier order passed on November 19, the court had ordered to close 18 properties of HPTDC which include The Palace Hotel, Chail, Hotel Geetanjali, Dalhousie, Hotel Baghal, Darlaghat, Hotel Dhauladhar, Dharamshala, Hotel Kunal Dharamshala, Hotel Kashmir House, Dharamshala, Hotel Apple Blossom, Fagu, Hotel Chanderbhaga, Keylong, Hotel Devdar, Khajiar, Hotel Giriganga, Kharapatthar, Hotel Meghdoot, Kiarighat, Hotel Sarvari, Kullu, Hotel Log Huts Manali, Hotel Hadimba Cottage, Manali, Hotel Kunzum, Manali, Hotel Bhagsu McLeodganj, Hotel the Castle, Naggar and Hotel Shivalik Parwanoo.
