North News
Shimla, November 21
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has ordered the closure of 18 loss-making hotels operated by the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC), citing the financial strain these properties place on the state’s budget. The court called the hotels “white elephants,” and directed the government to shut them down by November 25 to prevent further waste of public funds. The court’s ruling marks another setback for the Congress-led state government, already under scrutiny for its handling of state-owned assets. Meanwhile, the state government has announced plans to seek a review of the decision and is preparing a proposal to renovate and revive the properties. Among the affected hotels are The Palace Hotel in Chail, Hotel Geetanjali in Dalhousie, Hotel Dhauladhar in Dharamshala, and Hotel Hadimba Cottage in Manali, among others.
