Kashmir House reborn as tourism HQ

In a significant development for Himachal’s tourism sector, the iconic Kashmir House in Dharamsala has officially begun functioning as the new head office of the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC). This comes a day after the state government issued its formal notification regarding the move.

Rajiv Kumar, Managing Director of HPTDC, held his maiden meeting with 25 employees who have already reported to the newly refurbished heritage building—now repurposed once again for a pivotal administrative role. The MD expressed optimism that this shift would catalyse the tourism potential of Kangra, aligning with the Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s vision of making the region the “Tourism Capital of Himachal Pradesh.”

Mixed reactions from stakeholders

The local tourism fraternity has responded with cautious optimism. Many welcomed the move, seeing it as a reprieve from fears of privatization. Others, however, questioned whether allocating such a prestigious property to an office was the best use of resources—arguing that it may have been better suited for heritage tourism operations.

Tourism experts believe that relocating only the HPTDC headquarters may have limited impact. For true transformation, they say, the Department of Tourism—which is responsible for policy-making—should also be shifted nearby to foster synergy and strategic coordination.

Many roles of Kashmir House

Kashmir House, nestled along the Kharha Danda road leading to McLeodganj, is spread across nearly 5,000 sq metres (approx 16 kanals). Constructed in 1935 by Advocate Amarnath Sood of Lahore, the house was later bought by Maharaja Hari Singh of Jammu & Kashmir, who had matrimonial ties to Kangra.

Over the decades, the building has transitioned through various avatars—from royal residence to hotel, and from a CM’s winter abode to an administrative hub. Now, in 2025, it begins its new journey as the nerve centre for state-run tourism operations.