PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE | Dehradun
The recent heavy rainfall and disasters in Garhwal region have caused significant losses to the Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN), with preliminary estimates exceeding Rs 2.2 crore. Several GMVN guest houses sustained damage, forcing temporary closures and affecting the corporation’s operations across multiple districts, the GMVN managing director Vishal Mishra said.
He stated that the guest houses at Syanachatti and Harshil in Uttarkashi district have been completely closed after suffering structural damage. Besides this, some guest houses in Pauri and Tehri districts also sustained minor damage. The affected properties are currently non-operational and no new bookings are being accepted. He stated that existing reservations at these locations have been cancelled further impacting the corporation’s revenue.
Mishra said, “The disaster also disrupted road connectivity in the region, restricting access to several areas and preventing tourists from reaching the affected guest houses. This has compounded the financial impact, as blocked roads and closed facilities have led to a halt in new bookings while existing bookings continue to be cancelled. GMVN is currently facing both direct and indirect financial losses.”
He stated that the corporation has begun preliminary assessments of the damage, focusing on the structural integrity of the affected guest houses and the overall operational impact. Mishra said that once the situation stabilises and access to the affected areas improves, GMVN will conduct a detailed evaluation of the losses. Based on this assessment, plans for repair, rehabilitation and restoration will be implemented to resume normal operations at the guest houses, he said. He informed that the losses include both physical damage to properties and the revenue lost due to cancelled bookings and temporary closures.
The corporation is monitoring the situation closely and coordinating with local authorities to ensure repair work begins promptly. Once the repairs are completed and the guest houses reopen, normal operations and revenue streams will gradually resume, Mishra said.
