With the State Government keeping control of even the routine business of the Government-run state guest house, popularly known as the Nainital Club in Nainital, in its hands instead of allowing the department concerned in Nainital to do the job, the guest house in the lake City now remains accessible to only a few.

There are 48 suites including 16 double suites and 32 single suites in this specious guest house. The matter of fact is that whereas influential people can easily get booking in this guest house, others including those who have to visit Nainital for some emergency meetings time-to-time and have to stay there for a day or two are shown the door on the pretext that they should have applied for the booking much in advance, alleged an official.

The matter of concern is that since the booking at the Nainital Club is granted by superior authorities in Dehradun, therefore, there is no guarantee whether a needy can get a booking or not at this guest house even after applying in advance as most of the times the bookings are granted on recommendations from the VIPs, said an official of the Nainital district who has to go frequently to Nainital for meeting, on the condition of anonymity.

The same happens to many journalists who have often visit to the lake City to work on some important matters from different parts of Uttarakahnd. “In case we have a pre-planned tour then it is alright to send requisition for advance booking at the Nainital Club. But it is not possible always to do so when we have to go for an emergency meeting,” said a media representative.

The Nainital Club is centrally located and is convenient for the service class people. However, with the Government controlling the routine business like booking, only the influential people are calling the shots here, he regretted.

Thus, the State Government's meddling into hospitality business and that too only for granting booking has not gone down well among the people here. In case the Government is so concerned about this guest house, it should run it on commercial scale, said the locals.

Whereas one room accommodation in private sector in Nainital are available from minimum Rs 2,000 during peak season, the rent of this Government-run tourist bungalow is nominal, they added.

When the matter was taken up with NC Upreti, senior management official of the Nainital Club, he maintains that the booking is granted by the State Estate department, Dehradun. Only during off season if rooms are available, booking can be granted by us also, he added. However, Upreti said, there is no special quota for any section except for the Chief Minister. Booking is granted to all if rooms are available.