The Hospitality and Protocol Department, headed by J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, never shies away from spreading ‘red carpet’ for visitors, hosting State guests and tourists across exotic locations but in the process they have been earning huge losses for at least last three years.
To maintain these plush guest houses, including the famous Bobby Hut in Pahalgam, the department spent around Rs12.75 crore in last three years. In return these decorated guest houses could earn only Rs2.44 crore between 2011-12, 2012-13. An amount of Rs155.32 lakh was collected as revenue from Kashmir province while Rs88.85 lakh was raised in Jammu during the last two years.
Bobby Hut in Pahalgam, where famous Bollywood flick Bobby was shot, is one among the three VIP huts reserved for State guests visiting the State. An amount of Rs94.57 lakh was spent on the repair/renovation of these huts in last three years by the department. An amount of Rs86.49 lakh was also spent on renovation of Dachigam guest house in last two years. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah occasionally visit Dachigam National park to unwind.
In September 2012 Vice President Mohd Hamid Ansari also visited the National Park and spent some time there along with his wife.According to official sources, “A total number of 1,525 State guests were hosted by the department between 2010 to 2012-13 incurring a total expenditure of Rs28.58 lakh.” During the same period around 37,000 paying guests stayed across different guest houses in the State.
Around 576 VIPs/officers were treated as State guests in 2012-13,official sources said.
The department spent an amount of Rs8.83 lakh during the visit of Vice President between September 14, 2012 to September 17, 2012 and Rs10.77 lakh on the visit of President of India between September 26-28 2012.
According to official sources, “A total expenditure of Rs8.36 crore was incurred on renovation/repair of guests houses in Kashmir in last three years while Rs4.37 crore were spent on guest houses in Jammu province”.
Over Rs1 crore was spent on the renovation of Nehru Guest house in last two years, Rs66.50 lakh on Hari Niwas Guest house, Rs77,24 lakh on VIP hut complex in Gulmarg during the same period. The major portion of the revenue to the tune of Rs1.39 crore was earned by circuit house in Srinagar.
In Jammu province, the Hospitality and Protocol department spent around Rs2.30 crore on maintenance of circuit house in last two years while earning a revenue of Rs86.79 lakh. Interestingly, an amount of Rs43.78 lakh was spent on Tara Niwas guest house in Udhampur in last two years but no revenue was realised by the department during the same period.