The Himachal Pradesh High Court ordered the closure of 18 hotels run by Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC), pointing to the financial losses suffered by these properties, which the court considered an unsupportable burden on the state exchequer.

A single-judge bench of Justice Ajay Mohan Goel ordered the corporation to shut down the properties by November 25. The corporation’s managing director was asked to ensure the enforcement of the order.

Criticising the corporation’s ability to turn these properties profitable, the court said, “The continuation of the functioning of these properties but natural is nothing but a burden on the exchequer of the state, and the court can take judicial notice of the fact that there is a financial crunch, which is daily being propagated by the state in the matters being listed before the court involving finances.”

Calling the properties “white elephants,” the court said, “To ensure that public resources are not wasted by the Tourism Development Corporation on the upkeep of these white elephants, it is hereby ordered that the following properties of the Tourism Development Corporation shall be closed forthwith.”

The Palace Hotel (Chail), Hotel Geetanjali (Dalhousie), Hotel Baghal (Darlaghat); Hotel Dhauladhar, Hotel Kunal Dharamshala, and Hotel Kashmir House (Dharamshala); Hotel Apple Blossom (Fagu), Hotel Chandrabhaga (Keylong), Hotel Devdar (Khajiar), Hotel Giriganga (Kharapatthar), Hotel Meghdoot (Kiarighat), Hotel Sarvan (Kullu); Hotel Log Huts, Hotel Hadimba Cottage, and Hotel Kunzum (Manali); Hotel Lihagsa (Mcleodganj), The Castle (Naggar), and Hotel Shivalik (Parwanoo) will be closed by this Monday, as per the order, news agency PTI reported.

The corporation submitted occupancy figures for the past three years for its 56 hotels, following the court’s previous order.

On Tuesday, the court said keeping these properties operational is a burden on the state exchequer. It noted the state is facing a financial crunch, as reflected in cases related to finances brought before the court.

(Inputs from PTI)