Moving away from Shimla
No visitor to Shimla is likely to come to the conclusion that the city needs more buildings and lesser green cover, for the capital of Himachal Pradesh has turned into a concrete jungle over the last few decades. The construction of buildings in a haphazard manner — often in deviation from approved plans — is not only an eyesore, it also condemns people to inadequate infrastructure and exposes them to the danger of building collapses. The proposal in the draft Shimla Development Plan (SDP) of setting up of four satellite towns, thus, must be welcomed. There is an urgent need to decongest the city which, due to its prominence as a prime tourist destination and importance as the seat of political power in the state, attracts people in huge numbers.
The population of the state grew from 42.80 lakh in 1981 to 68.65 lakh in 2011, an increase of 60%; however, in the same time frame, the population of Shimla more than doubled, from 80,177 to 1,69,578. People moved to Shimla for better employment opportunities, as also for better educational facilities. An increased demand for housing led to reduction in green cover, haphazard and dangerous construction beyond the municipal limits of the city, and the surge in the number of private and public vehicles led to congestion of the narrow roads and a parking crisis. It makes absolute sense, thus, to set up satellite townships in Ghandal, Naldehra, Fagu and Chamiyana.
The SDP’s proposal to allow construction in the green belt areas, however, must be analysed and reviewed by experts rather than politicians and bureaucrats. It was not without reason that the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had banned construction in these areas in 2000, and removing that ban unilaterally would be unwise. The proposal to disregard NGT’s directive on the number of floors allowed in a building, too, must be reviewed. This is important in view of the fact that Shimla lies in Zone 4 of the seismic mapping of India, right on the edge of the most seismically-active Zone 5 in the state. Surveys conducted over the years — including one by the United Nations Development Programme — have shown that a very large number of buildings in Shimla are structurally unsafe. While catering to the needs of the increasing population, the SDP must also focus on environment and safety.
