108-year-old Tripura Palace to turn into 5-star hotel; deal signed amid protests by allies, Oppn

Despite vehement protests by the ruling BJP's ally Tipra Motha and the Opposition, the Tripura government on Friday signed an agreement with the Indian Hotels Company Ltd. (IHCL) to make the 108-year-old Pushpabanta Palace in Agartala a 5-star hotel. 

The Pushpabanta (or Pushpavanta) Palace also known as Kunjaban Palace was built in 1917 by the then Tripura king Maharaja Birendra Kishore Manikya Debbarma Bahadur and it served as the Raj Bhavan until 2018 before the Governor’s house was shifted to the Capital Complex area on the outskirts of the city.

Tripura Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha, who was present at the signing ceremony said that it is a significant step towards boosting tourism in Tripura.

He said in a post on the X, “Glad to be present during the signing of MoU between the Government of Tripura and Indian Hotels Company Ltd. (IHCL) for development of Taj Pushpavanta Palace Hotel. This world-class 5 star hotel with four exclusive rooms and touch of royal era will be a milestone in the state's history, enabling the people from the world to know more about the Maharajas of Tripura.”

An official said that IHCL, South Asia's largest Indian hospitality company and part of the Tata group renowned as an operator and owner of high-end hospitality products especially heritage palace hotels, luxury hotels and exotic resorts had proposed to collaborate and develop a world-class Palace Hotel as a ‘Taj Pushpabanta Palace’ of around 100 rooms under the 'Taj Palace brand’.

About Rs 250 crore would be invested within the existing land area of 7.78 acres of the Pushpabanta Palace, the official said, adding that the amount had been proposed to be invested by IHCL in a phased manner over a period of three years post receipt of all approvals for construction from relevant authorities.

He said that as part of the proposal, the beautiful heritage building will be restored and used as a reception and public areas, IHCL will at its cost also build all other areas outside of the heritage building.

Most of the accommodation will be outside the heritage building, except for a few signature suites housed within the palace accentuating the royal experience, the official added.

He said that the proposal will benefit the state in terms of investment, boost tourism, promote local culture, generate direct and indirect employment across various sectors such as tourism, construction, food and beverage, supply of raw material and retail.

Since last year, various frontal wings of ruling BJP’s ally TMP staged a series of massive protests opposing the Tripura government's move to privatize the iconic Pushpabanta Palace and convert it into a five-star hotel by a private group.

Senior Motha leader and Chairman of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) Jagadhish Debbarma had said that the iconic 108-year-old palace is a historical structure not only for the tribals but for the entire people of the state.

"We are not against the development of Tripura and the growth of the state's tourism, but not at the cost of the historical assets of the state," the senior tribal leader had said.

He said that Pushpabanta Palace is the valued property of the people of Tripura, and the government cannot hand over the historical assets to others for doing business.

The Opposition Congress also strongly opposed the state government's move. Congress spokesperson Prabir Chakraborty had said that during his last visit to Tripura in 1926, Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore stayed at the royal mansion and composed many songs sitting on the veranda of the palace. He had said that the then king Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur celebrated Tagore's 80th birthday in the important palace in 1941.

After India’s Independence, Maharani Kanchan Prabha Devi handed over the palace to the state government in 1949. Chakraborty said adding that after President Murmu laid the foundation of the Pushpabanta Palace Museum during her visit to Tripura in October 2022, the government had allocated Rs 40 crore for the proposed museum.

“The BJP government is trying to destroy the rich culture, traditions and history of Tripura by making the iconic palace into a business hub,” the Congress spokesman had said.