Srinagar, July 28: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has claimed that around 90 per cent of the nearly 5,000 hotels constructed in Kashmir over the past six years are illegal, raising concerns over unregulated construction and violations of building norms in the Valley.
Sinha made the remarks on Monday while flagging concerns over the rapid expansion of the hospitality sector and alleged overpricing by hotels in Kashmir. The comments were reported by The Hindu and local media.
According to the Lieutenant Governor, about 5,000 hotels have come up in Kashmir during the last six years, but nearly 90 per cent of them allegedly do not comply with legal requirements.
The remarks also reportedly included a reference to hotels associated with prominent Kashmiri hotelier Mushtaq Ahmad Chaya.
The allegation comes amid a rapid expansion of tourism infrastructure in Kashmir following a sharp rise in tourist arrivals. The hospitality industry has expanded its accommodation capacity to meet growing demand, with hoteliers previously calling for greater scope for expansion in tourist destinations and remote areas.
Mushtaq Chaya, president of the Jammu and Kashmir Hoteliers Club, had earlier said that hotels were expanding and renovating their facilities in response to increased tourist demand. He had also acknowledged that construction rules in remote tourist areas such as Gulmarg and Sonamarg were strict, while stressing the need for additional accommodation capacity.
The latest remarks by the Lieutenant Governor are likely to renew questions over how new hotels and tourism infrastructure are being approved, particularly in environmentally sensitive areas of Kashmir.
The issue is significant as several major tourist destinations in the Valley are located in ecologically fragile mountain and forest landscapes, where unplanned construction can place additional pressure on land, water, waste-management systems and local infrastructure.
Sinha also raised concerns about hotel pricing, amid continuing efforts to promote Kashmir as a major tourism destination.
The hospitality sector has been one of the major beneficiaries of the recent surge in tourism. Earlier, the Jammu and Kashmir Hoteliers Club had said that the increased tourist flow had boosted hotel occupancy and encouraged businesses to upgrade their infrastructure.
The Lieutenant Governor’s claim, however, puts the focus on whether the rapid growth of accommodation infrastructure has kept pace with regulatory and environmental safeguards.
Authorities are yet to publicly provide a detailed district-wise breakdown of the alleged 5,000 hotels, the criteria used to classify 90 per cent of them as illegal, or details of action proposed against the establishments.
