Tourism Corporation Staff Union Opposes Privatization of 14 Hotels, Warns of Agitation

Shimla, July 13:
The decision to hand over 14 hotels of the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) to private players has sparked strong opposition from the Tourism Corporation Employees’ Union. The union has warned the government of a potential statewide protest if the move is not rolled back.

Union leaders allege that the government is planning to privatize 14 functional and revenue-generating hotels currently operated by the tourism corporation. “We will not tolerate this under any circumstances,” said Hukam Ram, president of the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Employees’ Union. “These hotels are operational and financially viable. Handing them over to private hands will not only weaken the corporation but also severely affect employee morale.”

He added that memorandums have already been submitted to the Chief Minister and the Chairman of HPTDC, urging them to reconsider the decision. The union is also seeking another meeting with the Chief Minister to press their demands further.

Echoing the sentiment, Raj Kumar, General Secretary of the HPTDC Employees’ Union, said, “The government’s decision to transfer these 14 hotels on an Operations and Maintenance (O&M) basis is flawed. We’ve requested the Chief Minister to reassess the move and halt the privatization process.”

The union firmly stated that it does not support the privatization of HPTDC hotels and is ready to intensify its opposition if the government does not reverse its stance.