The Hindu Business Line : Centaur Srinagar to add more rooms

TO capitalise further on the increasing tourist arrivals in Jammu and Kashmir, the Air India (AI) subsidiary Centaur Hotel Srinagar is getting another 25 rooms ready within the next 10 days.

The decision to ready more rooms and thereby offer the tourist trade close to 200 rooms at the Centaur hotel is just one of the attempts being made by the State-owned hotel chain to woo the travellers, tour operators and public sector undertakings (PSUs).

Sources indicated that attempts were also being made to market the property and negotiate with tour operators and PSUs, among others, for the forthcoming four-month tourist season.

"With an investment of about Rs 8-10 lakh on the 25 rooms, the Group shall be able to generate business worth at least Rs 2-3 crore. This is simply because the season is still on and there is heavy pressure for rooms in Srinagar," official sources said. The decision to do up the room was approved by the Group's board at its last meeting.

Meanwhile, the property is becoming popular with several PSUs for holding conferences. Hindustan Papers took up the hotel in the recent past for a huge event.

Till recently, Hotel Corporation of India (HCI) owned and operated five hotels under the Centaur brand in Mumbai, Delhi, Srinagar and Rajgir.

While the two hotels in Mumbai and the hotel in Rajgir have already been divested, the Government has invited bids from prospective bidders not only for picking up a stake in the Centaur Hotel at Delhi Airport but also in the flight kitchens at Delhi and Mumbai.

Similarly, the property in Srinagar is also to be divested and is likely to be taken up by the State Government.