Himachal looks for ways to bail out hotels with illegal structures

SHIMLA: In a quandary over the fate of 2,000 hotels that have come up in flagrant violation of norms, the Himachal Pradesh Government is contemplating changes in development plans to regularise illegal constructions — about 25,000 of them — in Manali, Shimla and Kasauli, it is learnt.

A hotel demolished during an anti-encroachment drive in Kasauli. File

Pratibha Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 19

In a quandary over the fate of 2,000 hotels that have come up in flagrant violation of norms, the Himachal Pradesh Government is contemplating changes in development plans to regularise illegal constructions — about 25,000 of them — in Manali, Shimla and Kasauli, it is learnt.

With the Supreme Court, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the Himachal Pradesh High Court taking a stern view of the laxity in allowing unauthorised structures, the state government is desperately looking for a way out. The issue has become all the more serious with an Assistant Town Planner and a PWD worker losing their lives during a demolition drive in Kasauli earlier this month (May 1).

“We are considering certain changes in development plans of towns so as to allow hoteliers some flexibility in norms. One of these is that instead of parking at the road level, they be allowed to have the reception there,” said sources in the Town and Country Planning Department. The entire exercise is being subjected to a thorough legal scrutiny to avoid a rap from the courts.

Meanwhile, the state government’s offer to hotels to seal portions constructed in violation of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1977, has had few takers.

The hoteliers have been given a year’s time to either get the sealed portions regularised or pull these down. Sources say the hoteliers have been indifferent to the offer as they are hopeful of being granted some relief by the courts.

“The response has been lukewarm although this would have helped hoteliers to resume business partially. As it is, the hotels are locked for want of water and power connections,” said an official.

Last year, the HC had struck down the HP Town and Country Planning Regularisation Amendment Act, 2016, allowing regularisation of unauthorised structures — both commercial and residential.

It observed that successive governments not only repeatedly allowed rampant growth of the concrete jungle, but “relentlessly pursued the policy of appeasement”.