The Indian Express 28.06.2013
Will seek SG opinion on Taj Mansingh: NDMC
opinion of the Solicitor General of India on the future of the Taj
Mansingh hotel whose 33-year-old lease ran out in 2011.
“The Council will soon seek the Solicitor General’s
opinion on the issue through the MHA and the UD ministry,” spokesperson
for the NDMC A K Mishra said.
The decision was taken after the Home Ministry sent a letter to the
civic body, asking it to conduct an open auction and not give the Indian
Hotels Company (IHCL) the first right of refusal, as had been decided
earlier by the NDMC.
In the letter addressed to the NDMC chairperson, A K Das,
under secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, wrote, “It is observed
that the proposal to allow IHCL to have the first right of refusal in
public auction has not been provided for in the lease deed. Provision of
the first right of refusal will result in lower bid in public auction.
Therefore, the Ministry of Home Affairs is of the considered opinion
that the first right of refusal should not be allowed to IHCL in the
proposed auction and fresh lease should be granted by open public
auction.”
The letter stated that the opinion had the approval of the Home Secretary.
But NDMC member Karan Singh Tanwar said there was no
reason to seek an opinion since the Additional Solicitor General, the
MHA and the UD Ministry had already given their opinion. “This is an
attempt to delay the process,” he said.
The future of the five-star hotel in the NDMC area has been under a cloud ever since the lease ran out in 2011.
