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Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], April 22 (ANI): The General Administration Department of Himachal Pradesh has opened 20% of its guest house rooms to the general public through an online booking system, with tariffs fixed at Rs 4,000 per night for select accommodations across key locations.
According to an official notification issued by Secretary GAD, Ashish Singhmar, the decision covers identified rooms at Himachal Bhawan and Himachal Sadan in New Delhi, Himachal Bhawan in Chandigarh, and Willy's Park Circuit House in Shimla.
Singhmar said the move is aimed at making government accommodations more accessible and transparent. "We have opened these rooms for the common man and they will now be available through online booking. Earlier, bookings required GAD approval on a daily basis, but now any person can book these rooms online up to seven days in advance," he said.
Under the revised system, the tariff for 24 rooms has been increased from ₹1,200 to ₹4,000 per night. Officials clarified that the revised rates apply only to the rooms earmarked under the 20 per cent commercial quota, while the remaining rooms will continue under the existing system.
The department said the initiative is intended to streamline booking procedures, improve facility management and prevent misuse of government guest houses by introducing a fully online reservation mechanism.
As part of the rollout, specific rooms at each location have been identified for direct online booking. At Himachal Bhawan in New Delhi, rooms numbered 405, 406, 407, 307, 308, 309 and 310 will be available at the revised tariff. At Himachal Sadan in New Delhi, rooms 303, 304, 101 and 102 have been included under the scheme.
Similarly, at Himachal Bhawan in Chandigarh, rooms 202, 203, 204, 107, 108 and 109 will be offered under the online booking system, while at Willy's Park Circuit House in Shimla, rooms 512, 514, 523, 411 and 414 have been designated for public booking at ₹4,000 per night.
The GAD further detailed that Himachal Bhawan in New Delhi has a total of 50 rooms, out of which 29 are under its control, while Himachal Sadan has 19 rooms, all managed by the department. In Chandigarh, Himachal Bhawan has 29 rooms under GAD, and at Willy's Park Circuit House in Shimla, 49 rooms are managed by the department.
Officials also informed that a new government guest facility with 107 rooms is under construction in Dwarka, New Delhi, at a cost of ₹145 crore and is expected to become operational by the end of the year.
The department expressed confidence that the new system will enhance accessibility for the public while ensuring efficient utilisation of government infrastructure. (ANI)