The Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) has sought the intervention of the Civil Aviation Minister on the delay of clearances to hotels in Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport 'Aerocity'.

Vivek Nair, President of the Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI), in a meeting with the Minister of Civil Aviation Ajit Singh, sought his intervention in the matter of the undue delay in issue of completion certificates and other clearances to hotels in Delhi’s upcoming hospitality district.

As many as 13 hotels are being built in Aerocity at a combined project cost of approximately Rs 10,000 crore. The hotels, which include the J.W Marriott, will together contribute 5,500 “much-needed” additional rooms to the Capital city's limited inventory of 11,000 rooms in the branded segment and generate direct employment for several people. The construction of some of these hotels is either already complete or in an advanced stage. “An inordinate delay in their commissioning  would not only cause colossal financial  losses to the individual developers but also put in peril the vision of establishing a world-class hospitality hub, which was conceived as an integral component of the modernisation programme of Delhi International Airport,”  said FHRAI in a statement.

 FHRAI said all these hotels are being developed in accordance with the duly approved master plan and requisite statutory clearances had been obtained, including NOC on height clearance from the Airports Authority of India, prior to commencement of construction four years ago. “To impose structural modifications or alteration of building plans at this late stage, ostensibly to allay perceived security concerns, would be unreasonable and impractical. Moreover, it has already been clarified that all buildings in the area will incorporate modern security and surveillance infrastructure,” it added.

 The Ministry of Tourism and the Planning Commission have estimated that 1.8 lakh additional hotel rooms would be required across the country, entailing a massive capital investment of over Rs 1,25,000 crore. “Any prolonged and unwarranted uncertainty on receiving final regulatory clearances could potentially undermine the viability of a landmark and prestigious project such as the Aerocity,” FHRAI added.

 FHRAI is the apex body of the Indian hospitality industry and represents over 3,800 members including hotels, restaurants and associates.

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