According to sources, since the Yatri Niwas property belongs to the Chandigarh Administration, CITCO will now suggest three names to the Administration for its final nod in this regard.

The CITCO Board, which met here last week, while according its nod to the name-change proposal, however, deferred the Plan for its expansion -- at least for the time being. Sources say that CITCO has evolved an ambitious expansion plan of Rs 80 lakh to add a new wing to the CITCO-run Yatri Niwas. Of the total funds required for the expansion plan, half the money is to be provided by the Centre.

The new wing would add over 20 rooms to the unit. At present, Yatri Niwas has two blocks having a total of 64 rooms, which now offer upgraded facilities like that of attached toilets and telephone in every room.

When contacted, CITCO Managing Director Satish Chandra said the expansion plan is likely to be taken up by the end of the current financial year.

Meanwhile, CITCO has cleared the renovation plan of the Hotel Mountview restaurant at a total cost of Rs 50 lakh, work on which is likely to start soon. The work on the roof-top restaurant at Hotel Mountview is also almost complete and the same is likely to be launched soon.

Besides, CITCO has also decided to start tourist buses on the Chandigarh-Delhi route, to be run on a contract basis by a private operator. Both these plans were also accorded approval by the CITCO Board in its last meeting.

Satish Chandra said the work on the construction of a restaurant at the Kalagram in Manimajra has also been allotted, for its completion by June next year. It may be recalled that at the time of reviving the Kalagram project last year, CITCO was allotted the work of running a restaurant there.