The Himachal Pradesh High Court has temporarily suspended a single-judge ruling that ordered the closure of nine hotels operated by the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) due to low occupancy rates.

A division bench of the Himachal Pradesh High Court, consisting of Justices Vivek Singh Thakur and Rakesh Kaithala, issued an interim order after hearing an appeal filed by the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) against the single bench's decision. The order challenged the directive to close nine HPTDC hotels due to low occupancy.

The next hearing is scheduled for January 3.

On November 19, a single-judge bench of Justice Ajay Mohan Goel had directed the closure of 18 Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) hotels by November 25, citing poor occupancy rates. However, on November 22, the court allowed the state's tourism department to continue operating nine of the 18 properties until March 31, 2025.

The Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) filed an application requesting the recall or modification of the November 19 order. The Corporation argued that it was taking serious steps to maximize the utilization of its properties. The HPTDC's counsel also pointed out that some of the properties slated for closure had ongoing obligations, including room and event bookings, with advances already received from clients.