90% of 5,000 hotels built in 6 years illegal in Kashmir: J&K L-G Manoj Sinha

J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday (July 27, 2026) angered local hoteliers and said that “90% of the 5000 hotels in Kashmir are illegal”.

“5,000 hotels have been built in the last six years, 90% of which are illegal. In fact, Mushtaq Chaya has also come up with a hotel recently. The fact is that it has generated an investment of more than 80,000 one lakh crore. About 90 per cent of the locals and 10% (outside) have been invested in these projects by those involved in the tour and travel business,” Mr. Sinha said.

The J&K LG was speaking at the conference on “Ethical approach to tourism” organized by the Tourist Trade Interest Association (TTIG) at Srinagar’s Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Center (SKICC).

Mr Chaya, who was among nine leading hoteliers who received an emergency call in June, was also in the audience when Mr Sinha pointed out his name. “Mr Chaya’s hotel must be worth around Rs 100 crore,” he added.

“Hoteliers, who are the biggest rapists, have raised the issue of rape in Kashmir,” Mr. Sinha said. “It is the rapists who are the first to complain about the violation and seek measures to end it,” Mr. Sinha said.

Kashmir’s revival: Tourism is on the way

Terming local tourism players as “peace stakeholders in Kashmir”, the J&K LG said: “The base of peace stakeholders is expanding in Kashmir; the number of shikara owners, artisans and other stakeholders is increasing [with each passing day].”

Underlining the need to “develop responsibly”, Mr. Sinha also flagged the issue of overpricing of Kashmir hotels. “Charging between 10,000 Indian rupees and 25,000 Indian rupees was forcing tourists to reduce their tours to Kashmir. Taxi fares in Srinagar also brought a bad name to the business. Such things tarnished the image of Kashmir.”

He said that increasing number of visitors is not the only parameter that measures the success of tourism in Kashmir. “Profit should not be limited to a few big hotels like Chaya in Kashmir. It should also spread to the community like homeowners in Gurez and artisans in Pulwama,” Mr. Sinha said.

Stating that ethics cannot be assimilated through measures such as bans and fines, Mr. Sinha called for making the protection of Kashmir’s fragile ecology a social movement. “The whole society is a stakeholder in this,” he added.

He asked the tourists to ensure that measures are taken to ensure that potential tourists also admire the natural beauty of Kashmir. “Everyone needs to join hands so that tourism can continue for longer. Protecting Kashmir is outside ‘dharma’,” Mr. Sinha said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Sinha praised the organizers of the conclave and described it as an important step in redefining tourism as a moral responsibility for tourism stakeholders.

“Tourism in J&K should be seen as a celebration of this heritage and ethical tourism should be the guiding principle of the future. Tourist arrivals have reached record levels, confidence has been restored among domestic and international travellers, investments have increased and employment opportunities have expanded,” Mr. Sinha said.

Calling for responsible tourism, Sinha said, “We must ensure that every visitor leaves with precious memories, and at the same time, natural resources must be developed. Awareness towards forests, lakes and rivers needs to be increased. Development must proceed in balance with conservation.”

He said profits should not be limited to big businesses. “To ensure sustainability, tourism needs to provide dignified income, education and opportunities to all stakeholders. Together, let’s ensure that prosperity reaches the last village, the last family and the last citizen in the queue.”

The Lieutenant Governor called on all stakeholders to translate the conclave’s discussions into concrete action plans with clear goals, timelines and evaluation mechanisms.