Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday said nature has blessed Himachal Pradesh with clean air and water, and preserving these resources is the collective responsibility of every citizen.
Releasing the book 'City Limits: The Crisis of Urbanisation', edited by Tekinder Singh Panwar, former deputy mayor of Shimla Municipal Corporation, he said Shimla, being the capital and largest city of the state, had witnessed rapid transformation over the years.
“I have seen Shimla changing since my childhood. Areas that once had forests are now covered with buildings. There is a need for vertical construction here,” he remarked.
The Chief Minister said the state government was constructing an underground duct system in Shimla at a cost of Rs 145 crore to remove overhead wiring and improve the city’s aesthetics. He added that a new modern complex was being developed at the present Sabzi Mandi area with an investment of Rs 600 crore.
An underpass near the Lift area has also been proposed. He further said an Rs 800 crore water supply scheme is being implemented to ensure 24-hour water availability in Shimla town. In addition, land acquisition work is underway for widening the Circular Road, while efforts are also being made to increase notified green areas in order to preserve the beauty of the city.
Highlighting the state government’s focus on sustainable development, the Chief Minister said several projects are being undertaken for the beautification of the capital city while maintaining environmental balance. He also stated that new townships such as Him-Chandigarh, Him-Panchkula and an Aero City in Kangra are being planned. Infrastructure related to tourism is also being strengthened, he added.
Stressing sustainable development, the Chief Minister said that Himachal Pradesh had faced two major natural disasters in the last three years, causing extensive damage across the state. He said cloudburst incidents were now being studied scientifically, and such events were no longer confined to higher reaches but were also occurring in lower areas. He cited incidents in parts of the Seraj Assembly constituency as evidence of this trend.
The Chief Minister said during a meeting with the Union Home Minister, he had mentioned that cloudburst incidents would not remain limited to Himachal Pradesh in the future. “Such incidents are likely to increase in Uttarakhand and the northeastern states as well,” he said. He reiterated that the state government was committed to taking Himachal Pradesh forward on the path of development while safeguarding the state’s natural environment, culture and social balance.
Former Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court, Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan, said people need to improve their own conduct before blaming others.
Referring to tourism-related concerns, he said restrictions should not only be imposed on tourists, but citizens must also act responsibly. He stated that many people are purchasing multiple vehicles despite having no parking facilities. He further remarked that during school hours, most traffic congestion was caused not by tourists’ vehicles, but mainly by Himachal-registered vehicles. “We need to introspect,” he said.
Justice Chauhan said the main issue was that the state required complete institutional accountability. “Urbanisation is not merely a demographic change; it is the reorganisation of society itself. Millions of people are entering public life, sharing common resources and depending on urban local bodies and planning frameworks. However, our institutions are not keeping pace with this transformation. The people who ultimately pay the price for this institutional failure are invariably those who are the least powerful,” he said.
Mayor of Shimla Municipal Corporation Surinder Chauhan, Principal Media Advisor to the Chief Minister Naresh Chauhan, Education Secretary Rakesh Kanwar and Director General of Home Guards Satwant Atwal were also present on the occasion.
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