Hotels line up to invest in U'khand

Despite the meltdown, investments for hotel resorts and spas have started trickling into Uttarakhand.

With the global recession casting a shadow on state’s new industrial policy for the hills, the government can now take solace in scores of new proposals for hotel resorts and spas at key tourist sites in the hills.

According to officials, the state has received quite a few proposals for setting up resorts and spas at key tourist sites.

While Bharat Hotels is setting up a five-star hotel at Rishikesh for which the government has already granted permission, Pindar Glacier Resorts is planning to invest Rs 2.25 crore in a resort at Kodiyala on the banks of Ganga near Rishikesh, the officials said.

The state government has also received a couple of proposals for setting up hotel resorts at Kempty Fall near the hill resort of Mussoorie. Similarly, it has received a number of proposals for the Tehri dam reservoir site for which it has already set up a development authority.

“All these new proposals will surely give a boost to the tourism sector in the hill state,” said a government official.

In hilly Chamoli district where the Badrinath shrine is located, at least 23 new proposals for hotels and spas have been received. Besides, the government is encouraging yoga and ayurvedic huts on the hills. Ace shooter Abhinav Bindra is also setting up a five star hotel at Dehra Dun.

Under the special integrated industrial promotion policy 2008, the government is offering a slew of sops like up to 90 percent rebate on value added tax, free stamp duty, transport subsidy and rebate on power tariffs.

Though the government claims it has received investment proposals from various industries, the sources said not a single manufacturing unit could be set up here due to the economic meltdown.

For the smooth flow of investments to the hills, the government has already started taking steps. Faced with unavailability of adequate land, the government has decided to set up district coordination committees for getting quick forest clearances required for new proposals.

It is also looking for new entrepreneurs in eco-tourism, adventure sports and service sectors.