Badal constitutes committee headed by CS for revival plan of closed PTDC properties

Chandigarh,Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today gave his nod to constitute a committee under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary with Principal Secretary Finance and Principal Secretary Cultural Affairs & Tourism as its members to work out a viable revival plan of the closed properties run by the Punjab Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC).

This decision was taken by Mr. Badal while chairing the meeting of the Board of Trustees of Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board (PHTPB) here at CMR this evening.

The committee had been mandated to examine the feasibility of reviving these tourist projects in the changed scenario when Punjab was being looked at as a global tourist destination. The closed properties under the review included Champa Tourist Huts at Sri Anandpur Sahib, Amaltas Hotel at Ludhiana, Hotel Blue Bell at Phagwara, Silver Oak Tourist Complex & Filling Station at Malout, Kadamba Tourist Complex at Nangal, Filling Station at Hoshiarpur, Maulsari Aam Khas Bagh at Sirhind, Surajmukhi Tourist at Khanauri, Tourist Oasis at Ludhiana and Punjab Ashok Hotel at Sri Anandpur Sahib.

Likewise, it was also decided to review the status of closed properties in respect of Gulmohar Tourist Complex (Holiday Home) Limited outside the state under the revival plan to be recommended by the newly constituted committee. These properties included Raj Sarai Holiday resort at Jaipur, Mount View Holiday resort at Dharmshala, Sapling Estate Holiday Resort at Mussoorie besides vacant land at Manali and Varca in Goa.

Mr. Badal asked the Chief Secretary to submit the report of revival plan within two months and also sought detailed suggestions from the committee to put these closed properties to the best possible utilization for providing the ultra-modern boarding and lodging facilities to the tourists visiting Punjab from the country across the globe.

Prominent among others who were present in the meeting included Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister Mr Sohan Singh Thandal, Chief Secretary Mr. Sarvesh Kaushal, Principal Secretary to CM Mr. SK Sandhu, Principal Secretary Finance Mrs. Vinni Mahajan, Principal Secretary Tourism and Cultural Affairs Mrs. Anjali Bhawra, Principal Secretary Housing & Urban Development and Forests Mr. Viswajeet Khanna, Special Principal Secretary to CM Mr. KJS Cheema, Secretary Local Government Mr. Ashok Gupta and Director Cultural Affairs