More room for hotels, till CWG

With tourist accommodation during the Commonwealth Games likely to pose problems, authorities go slow on acting against unauthorised constructions

With tourist accommodation during the Commonwealth Games likely to pose problems, authorities go slow on acting against unauthorised constructions

As far as Delhi's civic bodies are concerned, it seems there's one rule for roadside dhabas and another for plush hotels. At least for the time being.


Delhi is expecting a huge tourist inflow during the Commonwealth Games.
Representative Photo

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has cracked down on illegal roadside eateries, but has chosen to look away from hotels with illegal constructions and extensions. But sources say this status quo may only last till the Commonwealth Games. Delhi is expecting a huge tourist influx at the time of the event and there is a shortfall in the number of hotel rooms required. So, the authorities are in no mood to aggravate the problem.

"How can we take action and demolish unauthorised rooms, when we ourselves do not know whether the

Timeline for hotels

The government on March 12 extended the deadline for five-year tax holiday for the hospitality sector from March 31 to July 31. This is expected to benefit about 20 new hotels. The hotels will add about 2,000 rooms to the tally of 30,000 being prepared for the CWG. Tourism minister Kumari Selja had written to the finance minister asking for the extension of the deadline following reports that hotel projects were lagging and would not be able to meet the March-end deadline.

present hotel rooms can accommodate all the visitors. The MCD will go slow on taking action against the hoteliers as the government is not too enthusiastic," said an MCD official.

u00a0Said Arun Gupta, general secretary of the Delhi Hotel Mahasangh: "There are close to 200 hotels in Delhi that have been built without licenses.

The government hasu00a0 limitations and is looking at its own interests by not taking action against the unauthorised constructions made by hotels. The zonal plan has not been implemented. Once it is put into action, they will have to act against these unauthorised constructions."

MCD spokesperson Deep Mathur said: "There is no standing instruction against taking any action. If there is any violation in the building plan, then action must be taken. Besides, no such instructions have been issued in the recent meeting of the deputy commissioners and the department heads."