Authorities order eviction of famed Gulmarg hotel

Authorities have ordered the eviction of the iconic Hotel Nedous in the tourist resort of Gulmarg here within 24 hours, citing “unauthorised occupation” of government land, officials said on Saturday.

Several Bollywood films and songs have been shot at the hotel located in the famous ski resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district. The hotel was reportedly owned by a relative of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

In an order, Gulmarg Development Authority (GDA) Chief Executive Officer Tariq Hussain has directed the assistant director of Tourism, Gulmarg, to take possession of the property within 24 hours.

“It is requested that the possession of Hotel Nedous, Gulmarg, which is presently under unauthorised occupation, be taken over immediately and handed over to the Gulmarg Development Authority (GDA),” the order said.

It said that in compliance with the directions of the Supreme Court, the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and the Department of Tourism, the assistant directed is requested to evict the “unauthorised occupant” and take over the physical possession of public premises — Hotel Nedous — within 24 hours and handover the possession of the property to the Gulmarg Development Authority.