20 Hoteliers Drop Out Of 2010 Games projects

About 20 hoteliers have opted out of the Commonwealth Games hotel project putting severe strain on the Government for providing accommodation to guests of the upcoming mega sporting event.

Aiming at providing 40,000 rooms during the 2010 Games, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) had auctioned 33 hotel plots in the Capital.

Of the total hoteliers who bagged the project, 20 have not even completed 30 per cent of ground work and have considered opting out, a senior Tourism Ministry official told PTI.

"For example, Amar Hospitality which was to construct a 512 room hotel in Shahadara, is moving at a snail's pace and there are not much activity on the ground. For us, they have opted out of the Games project," said the official.

Similarly, Asrani Inns is yet to make any headway in constructing two hotels with 375 rooms at Wazirpur. The 219-room hotel at Rohini by Breaze Constructions is also delayed and the Government is firmly ruling out its inclusion.

Work progress of Anush, which was given land in Shahadara for construction of a 136-room hotel, is tardy. Even 30 per cent of the work is not completed as per the status report.

IFCI Ltd was given land in Mayur Vihar for building a hotel with 91 rooms, Sewa Hotel was to come up with 72 rooms in Pitampura and Brilliant committed to construct 138 rooms at Shalimar Bagh. The Ministry has put these rooms in doubtful category after their work almost stopped.