Employees of the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) on Wednesday staged a protest at Dharamsala against the state government’s decision to hand over several of the corporation’s hotels to private operators on an Operation and Management (O&M) basis.
The employees accused the government of attempting to privatise profitable public assets and undermining the interests of the corporation and its workforce.
The protest was organised by the Tourism Corporation Employees’ Federation under the banner of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS). Employees from different parts of the state gathered at Dharamsala and took out a protest march from Hotel Kunal to the HPTDC headquarters at Kashmir House.
After the rally, the employees submitted a memorandum to the state government through HPTDC Managing Director Rajeev Kumar.
Addressing the gathering, federation president Hukam Ram alleged that the government was planning to hand over eight operational and revenue-generating HPTDC hotels to private entities. He added that the employees would strongly oppose any such move and accused the government of bypassing established procedures.
“The decision is reportedly being taken without obtaining an approval from the Board of Directors of the corporation. Such actions are against the interests of both the corporation and employees,” he said.
Hukam Ram alleged that deliberate attempts were being made to portray HPTDC as a loss-making organisation. He claimed that online bookings at the corporation hotels were frequently suspended, preventing tourists from making reservations and resulting in financial losses to the corporation.
Recalling the role of HPTDC employees during the Covid pandemic, he said the workforce had continued to provide services under challenging conditions. Several HPTDC properties were used as quarantine facilities and many employees contracted the virus while performing their duties, he added.
The federation demanded a special grant of Rs 50 crore from the state government to strengthen the corporation. According to the employees, they had contributed significantly towards revenue generation and helped the corporation earn nearly Rs 45 crore despite financial constraints.
The employees also expressed concern over reports that key HPTDC properties in Kullu, Manali, Rohru, Rampur, Bilaspur, Kasauli and Chindi could either be shut down for renovation or handed over to private management under the O&M model.
The federation also alleged delays in payment of salaries and other financial benefits to the employees. It claimed that many pensioners were facing financial hardships due to delayed settlements.
Urging the government to withdraw the proposal and hold discussions with employees’ representatives, the federation warned that the agitation would be intensified across the state if the decision to hand over HPTDC hotels to private operators was not revoked.
