CONRAD DIAS
Ranchi, April 6: Ranchi’s Ashoka Hotel is in ruins as the controversy regarding its ownership is still unsolved. The hotel was locked in 2018 and since then no proper care is being done to maintain the campus and building of the hotel.
The campus of the hotel is filled with unwanted plants and bushes. The building is also in a very bad condition as parts of the building have cracks as well as the paints have also started to fade. Fungus and moss have also covered certain parts of the building.
The transfer of the ownership has been pending for more than 15 months. The India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) on November 24, 2020 had signed an agreement with the Jharkhand Tourism Development Corporation (JTDC) to transfer its 51% stake in the hotel for Rs 10 crore. Of that, Rs 6 crore was for purchasing 25,000 shares and Rs 4 core for outstanding liabilities.
Built on 2.7 acres of land at Doranda near the high court, the hotel had started operations as a joint venture between ITDC and Bihar Tourism way back in 1987 when Ranchi was part of Bihar. After Jharkhand was carved out of Bihar in 2000, the new state got 12.5% share.
The Jharkhand government expects that the hotel will play a pivotal role in the promotion of tourism in the state. A JTDC official had earlier said in a statement that they have already approached the Bihar government for the remaining 36.5% stake for total ownership of the hotel.
