The Administrative Council, led by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, approved the absorption of 145 permanent employees from Centaur Lake View Hotel, Srinagar, into Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC), Jammu Kashmir Cable Car Corporation Ltd (JKCCC), and Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation Ltd, Srinagar (JKTDC) effective from 01.03.2023, instead of 22-05-2023.
The decision revises a prior approval from 22-05-2023, as indicated in Government Order No. 86-JK(TSM) of 2023 dated 12.07.2023.
The meeting was attended by Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar, Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor; Atal Dulloo, Chief Secretary; and Mandeep Kumar Bhandari, Principal Secretary to LG.
In 2022, Centaur Hotel employees protested the government’s alleged polarization, citing an eviction order on June 14 aimed at staff elimination. Farooq Ahmad Bhat, the employees’ representative, expressed disappointment, mentioning Supreme Court directions against staff elimination.
Subsequently, the High Court issued an order favoring 145 employees.
On June 14, 2022, the Jammu Kashmir admin took possession of Centaur Hotel, sealing it after Hotel Corporation of India violated lease agreement conditions.