Media reports say that the management of the loss-making Centaur Hotels situated in Delhi and Srinagar and run by the Hotel Corporation of India (HCI) – a public company, wholly owned by Air India, could soon be privatised if the aviation ministry has its way. Union Aviation Minister Ajit Singh confirmed that his ministry was considering privatising the management of the two hotels.
Officials also said that the Jammu and Kashmir government’s consent will have to be taken as the Srinagar property is currently under their lease. HCI, which also operates two flight kitchens, one each at Mumbai and Delhi under the brand name Chefair, has been making losses for the past 10 years.