The Union Territory administration of Jammu and Kashmir plans to construct five-star hotels in all 20 districts to enhance facilities for tourists.
District-level committees have been formed to identify suitable lands for these hotels. According to an order from the General Administration Department, these committees will be responsible for finding appropriate sites for the establishment of five-star hotels.
The committees will be chaired by the respective Deputy Commissioners, with the Director of Tourism, District Forest Officer, Chief Town Planner, Chief Executive Officer, and General Manager of the District Industries Centres serving as members.
These committees are tasked with identifying suitable land—whether state land, forest land, or private land—that meets criteria such as accessibility and availability of basic amenities necessary for the project.
Reports indicate that the administration aims to enhance tourism infrastructure across all districts to ensure balanced and equitable development throughout Jammu and Kashmir. This initiative seeks to leverage the substantial tourism potential of each district by providing improved facilities for visitors.
All the 20 districts of Jammu and Kashmir have huge tourism potentials so this project is aimed at providing better facilities to the tourists in all districts.
Divisional Commissioners will submit proposals to Tourism Department
Each committee will submit a proposal through the Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir and Jammu to the Tourism Department. The proposal will include details about the location, area, title of land, soil type, coordinates, land use according to the Master Plan, distance from main tourist sites, and road connectivity.
This administrative decision is part of a broader strategy to promote J&K as both a prime tourist destination and an ideal investment hub. Quality infrastructure is crucial to cater to the needs of high-end tourists and investors, both local and foreign, highlighting the importance of this initiative.
In February, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha stated, "Economic changes are evident with overwhelming investment. In the last three years, we have received investment proposals worth Rs 90,000 Cr, compared to Rs 13-14,000 Cr since independence up to 2021. Projects worth Rs 15,000 Cr are already taking shape on the ground."
He added, "Last year, 2.12 Cr tourists visited J&K, with a three-fold increase in foreign tourists post the G20 summit. We anticipate significant growth this year and are preparing for it."
NC is not happy with Govt's decision to construct five-star hotels
The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference has taken exception to the formation of district-level committees headed by the respective deputy commissioners for identification of land to establish 5-star hotels in J&K.
Taking strong exception to the development, the party's State Spokesperson Imran Dar said that the motive behind such decisions is suspect till a popular elected government is in place.
"Now that elections are scheduled over the next few months all these orders should be kept in abeyance until an elected government is in place", he said, adding, " NC is committed to reviewing all decisions taken after 5th August 2019 if elected to office later this year. So anyone including a private company or an individual thinking of participating in any such offer from this J&K administration should consider the wisdom of choosing this moment as opposed to waiting for a few more months"
"Such proposals should be handled by a popular government that prioritizes all aspects, including ecology, the environment, and the interests of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, anything going against the above can and will be changed by the popular government," he added.
