With another state legacy, Nedou’s Hotel leased out this Monday (September 21) to an Indian based company ITC, rage has raised among the civil society members.
Located behind posh golf course at M.A. Road, Srinagar, Hotel Nedou’s is almost the third prime property of the state after Hotel Oberoi and Centaur that had been gifted to outsiders.
“This is another step of the Hindutva Agenda to sell off our heritage and is condemnable,” noted poet and civil society member Zareef Ahmad Zareef told The Kashmir Scenario on phone.
“The officer level staffers in our leased-out hotels are brought in from outside the valley while as posts for waiters and sweepers are arranged for the locals,” a local resident, Shahid Ahmed says.
Raising concern over the loss of heritage Zareef said that the civil society members will rope in the Bar Association of Kashmir and other concerned groups as well to resist the PDP-BJP coalition government’s move.
Earlier, during the function when the hotel was leased out, Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed said the initiative was taken by ITC Group to foray into the elite hospitality sector in the valley.
Mufti emphasized upon building capacities in the tourism and hospitality sectors, and highlighted the need for sustained training of personnels associated with delivering hospitality services. “I hope ITC Group will be engaging skilled workforce from within the valley once their hotels are up and running,” he said.