Nainital hotel, declared 'enemy property' in '60s, to be opened for parking

NAINITAL: To address Nainital's parking crisis, MHA Wednesday issued formal directives allocating the premises of the Metropole Hotel to the Uttarakhand government for temporary use as a parking facility.

Built in 1880, the hotel once belonged to the Raja of Mehmoodabad, who migrated to Pakistan. A luxury destination in its prime, it famously hosted figures such as Pakistan's founding father, Mohd Ali Jinnah, who spent his honeymoon there. It was designated 'enemy property' in the early 1960s.

MHA's decision follows a request by CM Pushkar Singh Dhami, who cited the town's acute parking shortage and proposed using the hotel's expansive grounds, capable of accommodating over 1,000 vehicles, for public parking. According to a state govt communique, home minister Amit Shah responded positively, confirming MHA's approval in an official letter to the CM. Thanking Shah, Dhami said the move would "significantly ease traffic congestion and improve logistical convenience in the region."

Spread over 10 acres, the once-celebrated property had fallen into disrepair after being declared enemy property, with encroachers gradually occupying its open land. In 2023, around 134 families were evicted following Supreme Court orders.

In Oct last year, the custodian office of enemy properties under MHA had issued a temporary No Objection Certificate (NOC) to the Nainital district magistrate, allowing surface parking on an ad-hoc basis.