Express News Service
SRINAGAR: The hoteliers in Jammu and Kashmir are hopeful that the Lt-Governor administration won’t go for re-auction of properties of those whose lease period has expired, after the meetings with the government officials on Tuesday.
The meeting was held following the notification of J&K Land Grant Rules-2022 mandating all outgoing lessees to hand over possession of land taken on lease for commercial purpose to the government or face eviction.
Gulmarg Hoteliers Club president Aqib Chaya told this newspaper that they had a positive meeting with several government officials on new J&K Land Grant Rules. “We have also decided to meet Lt Governor Manoj Sinha,” he said. Chaya said they are hopeful that the government will not disorient the hoteliers, whose lease period of properties has expired, from Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Srinagar, Raghunath Bazar, K C Road and other areas.
“The government has assured us that they will take everybody on board and find a way out,” he said. In the new Land Grant Rules-2022 notified by J&K government, all the outgoing lessees (except in the case of subsisting/expired leases for residential purposes) shall immediately handover the possession of the land taken on lease to the government, failing which the outgoing lessee shall be evicted as per the provisions of public premises (eviction of un-authorized occupant) Act, 1988.
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The lease will not be renewed and would stand determined. Almost all the hotels in the ski-resort of Gulmarg are on leased land and the lease period of almost all 59 properties has expired. According to the hoteliers, Gulmarg would have to be closed as all hotels and huts in the resort are on leased land.
Aqib said they have been assured by the government that there would not be re-auction of the leased properties and some arrangements would be made. “We have full hope in the LG administration and central government,” he said. Ex-president Jammu Hotel, Restaurant and Bar Association Kuldip Wahi said the Jammu chamber is taking up the issue with the government.
He said the properties, whose lease has expired, should not be re-auctioned. “Instead it should be re-auctioned to the concerned person by increasing the premium,” Wahi said. He said the Lt Governor administration should take the stakeholders into confidence before implementing the new rules. Inderjeet Khajuria, chairman All Jammu Hotel and Lodges Association said the government should not conduct re-auctioned the properties as the lessees would suffer. The Jammu hoteliers are also planning to meet J&K Chief Secretary and Lt Governor Manoj Sinha.
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