CHANDIGARH: Himachal Pradesh government has decided to introduce stringent measures to control haphazard construction activities by declaring several areas in the heart of its capital, Shimla, as no-construction zones.
The move aims to curb construction activity in the core areas of the congested hill station, which has been losing its rapidly diminishing green cover, and create "green lungs" for the city.
Originally built for a population of just 25,000, Shimla is now groaning under the weight of more than three lakh people. In addition, nearly 40,000 vehicles entered the "Queen of Hills" every day during the summer season this year, with more than 16 lakh vehicles entering the town during May and June alone.
Highly placed sources said that at its recent meeting, the state Cabinet approved a blanket ban on all new construction in most parts of Shimla's core areas. However, there will be relaxation for the construction of government buildings meant for public use and for the reconstruction of old buildings along "old lines" only.
Confirming the Cabinet's decision, Town and Country Planning Minister Rajesh Dharmani told this newspaper that the ban is aimed at preserving Shimla's greenery, as tourists visit the hill station for its natural beauty and forest cover, not to see a concrete jungle similar to that in the plains. "Now the law will take its due course and soon a notification inviting public objections and suggestions will be issued by the department," he said.
Sources added that most of the areas where construction will now be banned were originally part of the 17 no-construction green belts that were opened to need-based construction under the Shimla Development Plan-2041, approved by the Supreme Court on January 11, 2024.
These include all areas above the road passing through Sanjauli, College of Excellence, Indira Gandhi Medical College, Lakkar Bazaar, Ridge, Rani Jhansi Park, Mall Road, Indira Gandhi Sports Complex, Clarkes Hotel, Oakover, Chotta Shimla and back to Sanjauli.
In December 2000, the state government had carved out 17 green belts spread over 414.36 hectares within the town and declared them no-construction zones. Of this, about 90 hectares are privately owned by around 70 individuals, while the remaining land belongs to the government. These green belts account for barely 4 per cent of the total Shimla Planning Area.
In November 2017, the National Green Tribunal restricted all buildings within the Shimla Planning Area to a maximum of two-and-a-half storeys and upheld the blanket ban on construction in the 17 green belts. The state government challenged the NGT order in the Supreme Court, following which the apex court approved the Shimla Development Plan-2041, allowing need-based construction in these green belts for self-use.
On January 17, 2024, the Town and Country Planning Department also notified eight new green belts in Shimla, in addition to the existing 17, taking the total to 25. On January 11 last year, Tara Devi was also declared a green belt, taking the total number of green belts to 26.
Meanwhile, according to a study commissioned by the Shimla Municipal Corporation, land surface temperatures (LST) in some parts of the hill city have increased by 1.7 to 2.5 degrees Celsius.
Conducted through GIZ, the study covered the period from 2012 to 2023 and identified Shimla Bypass, Shoghi Bypass, Boileauganj, Chakkar, Junga Road, Sanjauli Housing Board Colony, Engine Ghar, Mashobra and areas around the city centre as hotspots where temperatures have risen significantly due to large-scale residential and commercial construction in recent years.
"As green areas shrink and construction expands, temperatures in urban pockets tend to rise, even in traditionally cool hill towns like Shimla," the study noted.