5-star hotel projects await completion

Construction at the site of the Radisson hotel coming up on the Panchkula-Zirakpur highway is stalled for the last one year. “The work on the project started in March 2007 while it was scheduled to be complete by this year. The building with an area of around 13,000 square feet with six floors will have a mall on the first four floors and a five star hotel on the other two. The expected completion time now is early 2011,” said the manager of Quality Constructions,the Delhi-based construction company which has been given the contract of the project.

Though officials deny a break in construction work,a look at the site clearly depicts the true picture. The site has only been excavated with just the basement being laid.

The scenario is worse at the earmarked DLF site in the Chandigarh IT Park. DLF had announced the launch of a five star hotel two years ago on an area of 4 acres at an estimated cost of around Rs 250 crore. The present status — there is no sign of any construction at the site. The five star hotel,with 250 rooms and convention facilities for 1,200 people,has failed to take off.

Though construction is being undertaken at the J W Marriott hotel site in Sector 35,the project too is behind the scheduled completion date. The project initiated by Uppals was later handed over to J W Marriott for management including marketing and operations. The venture which was started two years ago is likely to take another two years to complete.

“The real estate industry is going through a rough patch. The five star hotels in the tricity being a part of this industry too are facing the wrath of the stagnation. Besides,the economic slowdown has also affected tourism and the hospitality industry. The situation is expected to improve in the coming months,” said Manoj Kashyap,regional manager,JLL Meghraj. The consultant company is handling the JW Marriott project.

The project in Chandigarh Industrial Area,Phase I,by the Sarovar Group of Hotels by the name of Park Plaza was started two years ago and has failed to meet the deadline of April 2008.

During the boom time in the realty sector,international hotel chains like Oberoi and Maurya Sheraton had also expressed interest in establishing five star hotels in and around the city but now even the ongoing projects are waiting to see light of the day.