Luxurious hospitality in offing for officials

GS Paul
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, March 11

Decks have been cleared for the state government’s multi-crore project of transforming the British era Amritsar Circuit House complex into a four-star luxury facility.

The old heritage structure of the original Circuit House, which comprises eight rooms, will remain intact but will be renovated in a modern way.

Conceived in 2015

• Spread over 3.94 acres, the Rs23-cr project was conceptualised in 2015 and was to be executed by October 2018
• The structure was partially built, but govt backed out, and roped in private players to complete and run it in PPP mode
• The complex will have 70 rooms. Of these 15 rooms and two VVIP suites to be reserved for government guests
• Facilities include showrooms, restaurants, a gym, a health club or spa, jacuzzi for VVIP suits, a pool, etc

Optional facilities include retail shopping or branded showrooms, speciality restaurants, a gym, a health club or spa, jacuzzi for VVIP suits, specific commercial area for various exhibitions, underground car parking and a swimming pool.

Spread over 3.94 acres, the project worth Rs 23 crore was conceptualised in 2015 and expected to be executed by October 2018. The structure was partially built by investing around Rs 11 crore, but the government backed out only to rope in private players to complete and operate it under the public private partnership model. The project is set to be completed within 18 months.

There will be a provision of 70 rooms in the complex. Of these, 15 rooms and two VVIP suites will be kept reserved for guests of the government or the competent authority and the room tariff of these will be determined by the government. Tariff of the rest 53 rooms will be at the disposal of the concessionaire firm.

The maintenance, operation and service will be the liability of the hired firm. A 50 per cent discount on food can be availed by government guests. The Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB) has allotted the work on the build-operate-transfer (BOT) mode to a firm, M/S Chaman Lal and Sons, in consortium with M/S Sarovar Hotels Pvt Ltd.

As per official documents, the firm in its quote had offered to pay Rs 1.05 crore concession fee for the first year of operations to grab the bid. The fee will be revised by 5 per cent every year till the tenure of the agreement ends after 30 years.

Amid concerns over the sanctity of the heritage Circuit House structure, located adjacent to the new structure, PIDB assistant general manager Davinder Bajaj said its upkeep and preservation would be the liability of the firm.