Ratan Tata’s company to turn this 100-year-old palace into world-class hotel, it is located in...

Tata Group has partnered with several companies and state governments on various projects. The group has now inked a pact with the Tripura government through its Indian Hotels Company Ltd (IHCL). The Taj group-owned entity has signed the pact to turn the Pushpabanta Palace, a royal property, into a world-class five-star hotel. The palace had served as the governor’s residence until 2018, when the Raj Bhawan was shifted to a new building at the New Capital Complex.

Chief Minister Manik Saha said, "This is indeed a historic day for the state as the pact was signed on the auspicious occasion of the Holi, the festival of colours.” Saha said this was the first time IHCL inked an MoU with any state government to develop a world-class five-star hotel. Asserting that the government wants to promote the history and legacy of the Manikya Dynasty to the global stage, he said the foreign tourists visiting the state will have a clear idea of the dynasty's history.

About the proposed hotel

The proposed hotel will be named Taj Pushpabanta Palace. It will be developed by the Taj group with an estimated cost of Rs 250 crore in the next three years, CM Saha said. It will have a total of 104 rooms, of which four will be developed, keeping in mind the lifestyle of the kings. The palace was built by Maharaja Birendra Kishore Manikya Bahadur in 1917. Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore stayed at the Pushpabanta Palace and celebrated his birthday during a programme in May 1941.

READ | Bad news for Bhavish Aggarwal, as Ola Electric shares decline over 7%, mcap falls to Rs...

Claiming that the deal will generate at least 200 direct jobs, the chief minister said the move was aimed at promoting the state's tourism potential at the national and international levels. On the opposition of Tipra Motha Party (TMP), an ally of the BJP-led coalition government on turning the royal property into a five-star hotel, Saha said a problem is bound to erupt when any good work is initiated, but ultimately it has been solved.