Sun Dec 01 23:03:09 UTC 2024: ## Himachal Pradesh High Court Stays Closure of Nine HPTDC Hotels

**Shimla, [Date of Publication]** – The Himachal Pradesh High Court has temporarily halted the closure of nine hotels owned by the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC). A division bench, comprising Justices Vivek Singh Thakur and Rakesh Kaithala, issued a stay order on Monday, overturning a single-judge order that mandated the closure due to low occupancy rates.

The single-judge bench, presided over by Justice Ajay Mohan Goel, initially ordered the closure of 18 HPTDC hotels on November 19th, citing poor occupancy. While nine hotels were initially granted a reprieve until March 31st, 2025, the HPTDC appealed the order, arguing that steps were being taken to improve occupancy and that several hotels had pre-existing bookings and financial commitments.

The High Court has now granted the stay, and the matter will be heard again on January 3rd. The HPTDC’s legal team argued that immediate closure would create significant financial problems due to existing bookings and advance payments.

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