TNR News Network
Shimla:
In a dramatic U-turn, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has announced that six out of the 14 state-run tourism hotels originally marked for outsourcing will now remain under government control.
The decision follows mounting pressure from the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) Employees Union and an unexpected rebellion from HPTDC Chairman and senior Congress leader RS Bali, exposing growing rifts within the ruling party.
The CM made the announcement after a delegation of the HPTDC Employees Union met him and raised serious concerns about job security and lack of transparency in the outsourcing process. The employees, feeling blindsided and insecure, urged the government to reconsider the move that could impact hundreds of livelihoods.
Six hotels that will stay with HPTDC
Chief Minister Sukhu assured the union that Hotel Apple Blossom (Fagu), Lake View (Bilaspur), Hotel Chanshal (Rohru), Hotel Ros Common (Kasauli), Hotel Sarvari (Kullu), and Hotel Mamleshwar (Chindi) will continue to be managed by the HPTDC.
Union leaders, including president Hukum Ram and general secretary Raj Kumar Sharma, pledged to bring these properties into profit within a year. The CM also reiterated the government’s commitment to strengthening the HPTDC and promised the establishment of a new 30-room hotel at Tattapani in Mandi to boost regional tourism.
RS Bali’s public revolt exposed ‘rift’ over decision
The controversy escalated after RS Bali, Nagrota MLA and Chairman of HPTDC, publicly opposed the government’s decision, claiming he was never informed about the Cabinet’s move to privatise the hotels. In an unfiltered media interaction, Bali declared, “I have no information about this outsourcing proposal. This should be revisited.”
His dissent, described as a “Gandhigiri-style protest,” highlighted deep fissures in the state government, with insiders revealing that the outsourcing proposal was neither discussed with the Tourism Department nor HPTDC’s Board of Directors. The decision, reportedly made during a Cabinet meeting without key ministers present, had raised serious questions about the process followed.
Transparency lacking, employees fear for jobs
The outsourcing plan, initially aimed at reviving loss-making hotels by transferring operations to private hands, is now under fire for its opaque execution and lack of stakeholder consultation. Employees fear mass job losses, demotions or forced transfers as no clear policy has been outlined to safeguard their interests.
This has reignited memories of the Congress’ earlier stand against a similar privatisation move by the BJP-led Jai Ram Thakur government, which it then condemned as “selling off Himachal’s assets”. Ironically, the Congress now finds itself on the defensive for walking the same path.
Sources said the Principal Secretary (Tourism) had already directed the HPTDC Managing Director to proceed with outsourcing eight hotels within three months, but the future of this plan remains uncertain amid growing opposition.
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