Vivanta has 'Israeli trained guards and intelligence network'

Srinagar, March 2:

A leading hotel in Kashmir valley, owned by the Taj group, has its own intelligence gathering network and its security staff has been trained in counter-terrorism techniques in Israel, aleading American daily has revealed. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Hotel Vivanta, one of a two five star hotel of Kashmir, which has been widely hailed because of its natural picturesque which is studded with sparkling and serene Dal lake, Asia's largest tulip garden and a wide sweep of shimmering snow-clad mountains has 'Israeli trained guards and intelligence network'.

 "It is guarded like a fortress by armed men, but many of its defenses are not visible to the pampered guests," New York Times report said. The newspaper quoted a private security official of the hotel as saying that it has "its own intelligence gathering system, which includes using a network of local residents for information about anything unusual in their neighborhood. 

The security official himself, according to New York Times, has undergone a month's counter-terrorism training in Israel. Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, India's leading player in hospitality, On April 18 last year, launched Vivanta by Taj - Srinagar.

The launch event was then attended by Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir Omar Abdullah, Farooq Abdullah, Abhijit Mukerji, Executive Director, Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces along with Veer Vijay Singh, Chief Operating Officer, Vivanta by Taj - Hotels & Resorts. 

Located on Kralsangri hill overlooking scenic Dal Lake, Vivanta by Taj - Srinagar, is 20 kms away from the new airport in the city. The six acre property has 89 rooms; each room and suite provides breathtaking views of the Valley. Militants in past have barricaded themselves into several hotel buildings in the city here while carrying out commando-style raids on security installation. 

In last such gun battle in Jan 2010, a two-member Fidayeen squad launched a gun and bomb attack on security installation located at Palladium Cinema in Lal Chowk. The militants then took shelter at the adjoining New Punjab Hotel, which was completely damaged after the 22-hour long gunfight. 

The heightened security set-up of Hotel Vivanta is also the after-effect of 26/11 Mumbai attacks, in which 10 Lashkar-e-Toiba militants launched a commando raid crippling the entire city for three days. During the attack on Mumbai, a militant squad has barricaded themselves inside The Taj hotel there, after which the security set-up around all high-profile hotels has been considerably increased Vivanta.