In Kashmir's famed winter playground, Gulmarg, where wooden chalets dot snowy slopes and pine-scented breezes carry whispers of colonial pasts, one of the region's oldest hospitality landmarks has met a dramatic end—at least in its current form. The 137-year-old Nedous Hotel, once the toast of tourists and a storied retreat wrapped in legacy, was officially overtaken by the Gulmarg Development Authority (GDA) on Monday.
The reason? It has operated for nearly four decades without a valid lease and clearly violated orders from the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and the Supreme Court of India.
The hotel, established in 1888 by Michael Adam Nedou, a European settler who saw tourism potential in the Kashmir Valley, had long been under scrutiny for continuing commercial operations despite its lease expiring in 1985. Its power connection—through Nedou's descendants, including former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's family—made the saga more high-profile.
Acting under the J&K Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1988, the GDA carried out the eviction peacefully, supervised by the Assistant Director of Tourism in the presence of local magistrates and law enforcement.
According to officials, the eviction was preceded by a formal notice that cited violations of the J&K Land Grants Rules, 2022, which aim to prevent illegal occupation of public land.
What makes the case more striking is the scale of encroachment. Originally leased just two kanals and 13 marlas, the hotel allegedly expanded its footprint to an astounding 98 kanals and 11 marlas (roughly 12 acres) without legal sanction.
In 2018, a Division Bench of the J&K High Court had ruled against the hotel's lease renewal plea, asserting that no rent had been paid since 1990 and that the hotel's operations lacked a legal basis. The court emphasised that submitting rent or lease renewal applications did not equate to a legal right to remain on the property.
Nedous Hotel was not just a business. It symbolised Gulmarg's emergence as a luxury tourist destination in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The founder's son, Harry Nedou, married a local Rajput Gujjar woman, Mir Jaan, and their daughter, Akbar Jehan, married Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, Kashmir's most prominent political leader and the founder of the National Conference party.
That legacy, however, could not override legal mandates. The GDA's action signals a shift in how the government intends to handle public assets that have slipped through regulatory cracks for decades.
Earlier this year, Nedous Hotel was at the centre of another media storm when it hosted a semi-nude fashion shoot by designers Shivan and Narresh in the snow-covered meadows of Gulmarg during Ramzan. The backlash was swift and intense, adding further scrutiny to the establishment's operations.
While that controversy may have been about optics and sensibilities, the current one is squarely about legality, and it appears the government is unwilling to budge.
There's no official word yet on what will become of the property. Sources within the GDA suggest possibilities ranging from conversion into a government-managed heritage hotel to a public tourism facility that honours the site's historic value while complying with modern land-use norms.
Whatever shape it takes, the eviction marks the end of an era; one in which power, legacy, and legality intersected in complex ways but where the rule of law ultimately prevailed.
Q1: Why was Nedous Hotel in Gulmarg evicted?
A: The hotel was evicted for operating without a valid lease since 1985 and for illegally expanding its premises beyond the original sanctioned land.
Q2: What is the historical significance of Nedous Hotel?
A: Established in 1888, Nedous Hotel was one of Gulmarg’s first luxury hotels and played a key role in shaping early tourism in Kashmir.
Q3: Who owns Nedous Hotel?
A: The hotel was built by Michael Adam Nedou. Descendants of his family, including relatives of former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, were linked to the property.
Q4: What will happen to the hotel property now?
A: Officials have not announced a final plan, but options include turning it into a government-run heritage hotel or a public tourism facility.
Q5: Has Nedous Hotel been involved in other controversies?
A: Yes. In early 2025, it faced backlash for hosting a semi-nude fashion shoot during Ramzan, adding to the scrutiny around its operations.
