Sudhir Sharma Slams Sukhu Government Over Denotification of Zonal Office, Auction of Heritage Hotels

Dharamshala, July 11, 2025: BJP MLA from Dharamshala, Sudhir Sharma, has strongly criticized the Himachal Pradesh government for denotifying the Food Supply Zonal Office in Dharamshala and abolishing all 11 associated posts. Calling the move “regressive” and “anti-people,” Sharma said it contradicts the government’s repeated promises of decentralization and balanced regional development.
 
In a statement issued here, Sharma suggested that instead of dismantling the vital administrative office, the government could have relocated it to peripheral areas, freeing up central urban space for essential public amenities such as parks and parking facilities to benefit children, senior citizens, and the general public.
 
At the same time, political tension has intensified over the auction of several Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) properties, including the heritage hotel Kashmir House in Dharamshala. Sharma alleged that a powerful lobby is influencing the privatization process, raising concerns over lack of transparency and possible backdoor dealings.
 
He further claimed that some government schools are being shut down quietly, hinting at a covert plan to transfer valuable public land to private interests.
 
Adding to the controversy, the state cabinet, under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, recently approved the handover of 14 HPTDC hotels to private entities under the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) model. The move, later endorsed by the HPTDC Board of Directors, is being defended as an attempt to revive loss-making units and improve service quality.
 
The 14 HPTDC hotels approved for transfer include: Hotel Hill Top, Swarghat; Hotel Lakeview, Bilaspur; Hotel Bhagal, Dadlaghat; Way Side Amenity, Bhararighat; Hotel Mamleshwar, Chindi; Hotel Apple Blossom, Fagu; Hotel Shivalik, Parwanoo; Hotel Giriganga, Kharapathar; Hotel Chanshal, Rohru; Tourist Inn, Rajgarh; Hotel Sarvari, Kullu; Hotel Old Roscommon, Kasauli; Kashmir House, Dharamshala; and Hotel Uhal, Jogindernagar.
 
While the state government claims the initiative is a necessary fiscal reform to optimize underutilized assets, critics warn it could lead to the slow erosion of public ownership over historically and culturally significant properties.
 
Joining the opposition chorus, former Speaker of the Vidhan Sabha and BJP MLA from Sulah, Vipin Singh Parmar, accused the Congress-led government of attempting to privatize state assets under the pretext of financial distress. Parmar reminded that the same government had previously failed to revive 18 such hotels even after obtaining time from the High Court.
 
He alleged that the current administration is now repeating past mistakes with a fresh set of properties and demanded the Chief Minister’s resignation, holding him accountable for what he described as the “systematic weakening of public institutions.”
 
In a surprising turn within the ruling party, Tourism Development Corporation Chairman Raghuvir Singh Bali has openly opposed the cabinet’s decision. Addressing a press conference in Shimla on Friday, Bali said that HPTDC had not submitted any formal proposal to transfer the properties, raising questions about the transparency of the process.
 
“Despite no proposal from our side, the decision has been taken. This is surprising,” Bali remarked, urging Chief Minister Sukhu to reconsider the move and instead focus on strengthening HPTDC through better management and investment rather than privatization.