The Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir, Anshul Garg, on Monday conducted a detailed review of the Action Taken Report (ATR) concerning the long-pending handover process of Hotel Centaur in Srinagar. The meeting aimed to resolve bottlenecks related to utility shifting, administrative clearances, and service segregation between Hotel Centaur and the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC).
Senior officials, including the Managing Director of JKTDC, Chief Engineer KPDCL, Superintending Engineer Jal Shakti, and representatives from LCMA, SKICC, Srinagar Municipal Corporation, district administration, and the concessionaire, participated in the discussion.
During the review, the Divisional Commissioner assessed progress on several key areas tendering and disposal of movable assets, issuance of mandatory building permissions, clearance of pending utility bills, and the separation of shared services between the hotel and SKICC. A major point of concern was the continued occupation of some hotel rooms by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). The district administration was directed to ensure immediate vacation of these rooms to facilitate a smooth transfer.
Garg instructed the concessionaire to promptly submit architectural and structural drawings for proposed renovations to the Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LCMA) for approval. He emphasized that fresh power and water connections would be provided only after outstanding dues were cleared by the concessionaire.
On matters related to immovable utilities, the Divisional Commissioner urged all concerned departments to resolve overlapping responsibilities through mutual coordination, ensuring no further delays occur.
The MD of JKTDC was tasked with removing remaining hurdles and ensuring a seamless handover of the hotel to the concessionaire. The review marks a significant push by the administration toward completing the transition of the iconic Hotel Centaur, enabling its redevelopment and restoring its commercial operations after years of stagnation.
