Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), India’s largest hospitality chain, plans to have a portfolio of 50 hotels in the east and northeast with Calcutta as the hub of operations. The Tata promoted chain, which owns the iconic Taj brand, has 35 hotels in the region at present.

Puneet Chhatwal, managing director and CEO, IHCL, on Saturday said Bengal is the launchpad of the company’s growth in the east and northeastern part of India. He was speaking at the launch of the 75-room Taj Taal Kutir in Eco Park in partnership with the Ambuja Neotia Group.

“We will have the management, sales and marketing from Calcutta in the short to medium term for the east and entire north-east,” he added.

The recent decision of the Bengal government to accord infrastructure status to the hospitality industry is expected to fuel growth and create job opportunities, he noted.

Overall, the company said it will meet the guidance of 325 hotels by 2025-26.

With the addition of Taj Taal Kutir, IHCL will have six hotels across its four brands in Calcutta, including one under development. The company is also looking to add properties in Durgapur and Asansol under the Ginger brand as well as a renovated Ganga Kutir under its management.

Harshavardhan Neotia, chairman of the Ambuja Neotia Group, said there has already been an investment of around Rs 1,000 crore across hospitality projects from his group, including Rs 160 crore towards the development of Taj Taal Kutir, the third Taj hotel in the city.

The upcoming projects include a 124-room Taj Hotel Ambuja City Centre in Patna and the relaunch of Ganga Kutir at Raichak in Bengal.

“We have taken yet another step forward in our partnership with IHCL, adding our third hotel in Calcutta,” Neotia added. While Ambuja owns the properties, IHCL will manage them.