Admin issues eviction notice to historic Nedous Hotel in Gulmarg

August 4, 2025 by News Desk

The Jammu Kashmir administration has issued a formal eviction notice to Nedous Hotel in Gulmarg, ordering the historic establishment to vacate nearly 98 kanals of state land that it has allegedly occupied without a valid lease since 1985.

The notice was served by the Estates Officer in Gulmarg under the provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1988. The action comes following directives from both the Jammu and Kashmir High Court and the Supreme Court of India, according to official sources.

Authorities have instructed the Baramulla District Magistrate to provide a magistrate and sufficient police force to ensure the eviction proceeds without disruption and to maintain public order. Officials say the land, currently under what the notice describes as “unauthorised occupation,” must be vacated immediately and handed over to the Gulmarg Development Authority. Sealing of the hotel premises is expected to follow.

Founded in 1888 by Michael Adam Nedou, a European entrepreneur credited with establishing Gulmarg as a popular hill station during the colonial era, Nedous Hotel holds the distinction of being Kashmir’s first modern hotel. Over the decades, the Nedou family developed strong connections with the region’s political class. Michael Nedou’s daughter, Begum Akbar Jehan, was married to Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, one of Jammu and Kashmir’s most prominent political figures. The hotel is currently run by Omar K Nedou, a relative of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

The land dispute surrounding the hotel has spanned decades. The last registered lease agreement, covering just over 2 kanals, was granted in 1963 and expired in 1985. Authorities allege that after the lease expired, the hotel not only failed to vacate but expanded its occupation to include an additional 91 kanals of state land. A previous eviction order was issued in 2015, but legal appeals by the hotel management delayed enforcement.

Officials say the latest eviction notice marks the final phase of a prolonged legal and administrative battle over the high-value land in one of Kashmir’s prime tourist destinations.