loss of property worth Rs 25 crore in the disaster, coupled with cancellation of bookings in its guest houses is a double whammy for Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam limited (GMVN) that now struggles to return the sum of around Rs 2 crore paid by the pilgrims against the bookings.

The Nigam has to refund Rs one crore within the next few days to the tourists, repeatedly asking for their money, while the remaining Rs one crore will be reimbursed in the near future to the tourists who are not in a hurry to get their money back. Triggered by the natural disaster that ravaged Kedar Valley and several other locations in the State 18 days ago, the cancellation of the bookings has left the GMVN officials concerned. The catastrophe also crushed prospective business for the next few months.

GMVN was expecting a business worth Rs 8 crore by the month of October as there was great demand for bookings in its guest houses and rest houses. A large number of tourists from across the nation were in touch with the GMVN to book a room in the rest houses. In the meantime, catastrophe struck the State on June 16 and 17. As the news spread, tourists started calling GMVN frantically to get their tickets cancelled. A GMVN official said that the tourists cancelled their trip to Uttarakhand and were reluctant to listen about opting for any of the alternate locations not damaged by the disaster in the State.

“The tourists are not ready to listen to anything. They don’t even want to know about the holiday destinations which are intact and safe. They want their money back,” the employee said, adding that the department after losing its several guest houses was facing a new problem. Seven huts of a river rafting camp, owned by GMVN, at Kaudiyala in Pauri district were washed away. Similarly, a rest house in Chandrapuri in Rudraprayag, five huts of the eight in Siyanshu, and an old rest house with a capacity of 24 beds in Rambada were washed away. Officials claimed that the tourist rest house building in Kedarnath was badly damaged while the rest house near Rampur was partially damaged. Tourist Information Centre in Birhi with all paraphernalia in it and four huts there were also damaged. Similarly, its buildings in Tilwada, Ghansali and Ganga Resort in Rishikesh also suffered damage.

The Nigam also lost its 800 lPG cylinders as the godown in disaster-affected area was washed away. likewise, security wall in Ukhimath collapsed. In Ghansali, its centre suffered damage. The officials claimed that several of its buildings suffered partial to heavy damage in the disaster. General Manager (Tourism/Administration) GMVN HD Pande expressed concern over cancellation of bookings as it would be a challenging task to return the fund paid by the tourists against the bookings.

“GMVN has to give back around Rs one crore during next few days to the tourists who have cancelled their bookings and asking for the sum,” Pande said, adding that the body would have to return Rs two crore against the cancellation of rooms in the GMVN.

He clarified that the tourists, who are anxious about their money and are making calls to the GMVN, would be returned the fund first.