J&K Govt takes over possession of Centaur Lake View Hotel

SRINAGAR — The Jammu and Kashmir Government on Tuesday took over the possession of Centaur Hotel and sealed the building after the Hotel Corporation of India violated the conditions of the lease agreement.

According to the documents available with the news agency Kashmir News Observer (KNO), a prior notice was served to the employees of the Centaur Hotel here in Srinagar, asking them to vacate the premises within 45 days from the date of issuing the eviction notice.

The notice was served to Centaur Hotel employees on 25-04-2022. As per the notice, the J&K Government has charged the Hotel Corporation of India with violating the conditions of the lease agreement by subletting the hotel to a third party.

It is pertinent to mention that pursuant to the Cabinet Decision No. 237; dated 25-06-1979, the then State Government vide Government Order No. 118 of 1981; dated 17-10-1981 leased out a piece of land measuring 13 acres to the Hotel Corporation of India Private Limited for a period of 99 years and accordingly, a lease agreement was executed on 10-03-1982.

The terms and conditions in the agreement stipulated that the ownership rights over the structure on the land shall be equally held by the parties, the use whereof shall be determined by the parties by mutual undertakings and it was also agreed that for matters not covered by the agreement, the laws of the J&K State will apply.

Meanwhile, the government has taken over the Centaur Hotel last evening and sealed the gates of the building. However, many employees of Centaur Hotel are refusing to leave the premises of the hotel after the government decided to seal the building.

“The decision would render 160 employees jobless. We are not against the move, but the employees should also be owned by those who are going to take over the hotel,” said Fayaz Ahmad, President of Centaur Hotel Employees Union.

Pertinently, an order issued by Tehsildar concerned reads that the Centaur Lake View Hotel, Srinagar has been sealed on June 14, 2022, under JK Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorized Occupants Act, 1988). “Therefore, no one is allowed to enter the main gate till further orders, otherwise stern action shall be taken under prevalent law,” it reads.