Srinagar: The Court of the 1st Additional District Judge, Baramulla, today granted ad-interim relief in favour of the proprietor of the Hotel Royal Park, Gulmarg, temporarily staying the Gulmarg Development Authority’s (GDA) attempt to take or retain possession of the property.
The ruling comes barely a day after the GDA, on September 26, 2025, formally took physical control of the hotel property, citing the expiry of its long-term lease/rent agreement which had lapsed in June this year.
The suit was filed by Bilal Ahmad Shah, son of Late Mohammad Maqbool Shah, the Proprietor of Hotel Royal Park, seeking a declaration and a perpetual injunction against the GDA’s eviction action.
Immediate Legal Challenge
Sources confirmed that the applicant moved the court immediately following the GDA’s takeover. After hearing the application (IA/1/2025) for ad-interim relief, the court of the 1st Additional District Judge, Baramulla, issued notice to the Gulmarg Development Authority (Defendant/Non-applicant) and ordered an immediate maintenance of the status quo concerning the property. While the specific terms of the interim order were not immediately released, the relief effectively pauses any further administrative action by the GDA concerning the hotel’s possession until the next hearing.
The court has scheduled the matter for the next hearing on October 7, 2025, when the GDA is expected to submit its reply to the suit and the application for temporary relief.
Part of Wider Lease Drive
The GDA’s action against Hotel Royal Park is part of a broader government campaign to reclaim public properties in Gulmarg whose lease agreements have expired. This initiative gained high visibility last month with the eviction of the historic Nedou’s Hotel, which had been operating without a valid lease since 1985.
Hoteliers in the region have sought modification of the new 2022 J&K Land Grant Rules, which stipulate open bidding for new leases, eliminating automatic renewal rights for previous occupants and opening the door for non-locals to bid on the prime properties.
The interim stay granted to Hotel Royal Park marks a momentary legal victory for the hoteliers challenging the administrative drive, setting the stage for a crucial legal showdown at the next hearing.
