The BJP regime today gave a final burial to the much-hyped Rs 2,000-crore Himalayan Ski Village, as the Cabinet gave its nod for cancelling the pact signed for setting up of the FDI project in Kullu in 2006.
The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur. It decided to cancel the MoU and Implementation Agreement signed with M/s Himalayan Ski Village Limited (HSVL) for setting up of Ski Village in Kullu.
The HSVL had moved the High Court to ensure that the project sees the light of the day following the issuance of a show-cause notice by the government for cancellation of the agreement signed during the Congress regime. It was in September 2013 that John Sims, Managing Director, HSV, had requested the government to allow the project with certain modifications in view of the delay in its execution. While seeking government cooperation for the project, the promoters had also made it clear that not only was the budget of the project likely to be halved but even in terms of the land, the requirement would be reduced to half.
The Department of Tourism and Civil Aviation had referred the plea of the promoters to modify the project before the Himachal Pradesh Infrastructure Board (HPIDB). The HPIDB has suggested that the matter should be referred to the Cabinet for a final decision.
The jinxed project faced many roadblocks ever since it was conceived in 2004 during the Congress regime. Initially, it appeared to be a dream project with the backing of the Ford Company. However, despite the signing of the MoU with the Himacal government on December 9, 2005, the project never took off as it faced stiff resistance from the local communities for fear of vitiating their culture and age-old traditions. The project even assumed political overtones with BJP leader Maheshwar Singh opposing it vehemently.
Villagers in Kullu-Manali had come out openly in protest against the project. Even the public hearing held at Kothi near Manali in the presence of senior government functionaries had turned violent. Initially, the total land requirement for the project was 93.1 hectares, which included 16.3 hectares of government land.
- Ski Village conceived in 2004, MoU signed in 2005
- Implementation agreement signed on March 6, 2006
- DPR approved by Cabinet on June 5, 2006
- Show-cause notice issued on January 7, 2012, to the HSV Ltd for cancellation
- HSV Ltd moved HC, which gave its verdict in 2012
- Promoters approached government with modified project in 2013, a decision on which had been pending
