Himachal Pradesh government notifies Draft Shimla Development Plan

Shimla: Himachal Pradesh government on Friday notified the Draft Shimla Development Plan, aimed at regulating construction activities in the capital city.

The state cabinet on Monday approved the final draft of the SDS, which includes new provisions with regard to the number of floors, habitable attic and garage in a building.

The cabinet, in a meeting presided by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, cleared the draft plan presented by the urban development department.

The plan was approved by the previous government in February 2022 but it did not materialise as the National Green Tribunal (NGT) passed stay orders, terming it illegal and in conflict with earlier orders passed in 2017 to regulate haphazard constructions in Shimla.

It was approved again after the Supreme Court's order on the matter on May 3. The apex court, however, said the draft plan will not be implemented for one month from the date of publication of the notification, issued on June 20.

The plan named “Vision 2041”, when implemented, would pave the way for construction in 17 green belts with certain restrictions and also in the core area where construction activity was banned by the NGT.

Detailed guidelines regarding the number of stories, parking, attic and height of the structures have been mentioned in the plan and it has been clearly stated that felling trees would not be permitted in green areas.

The government has already decided to declare the attic as a habitable area and increase its height to 3.5 meters.

Construction of one storey with a habitable attic would be permissible in 17 green belts, two stories with a habitable attic and parking in core areas and three stories with parking and a habitable attic in non-core areas would be permissible.

A total of 22,450 hectares were taken into account for revision and formulation of the Development Plan which includes, Municipal Corporation, Shimla, Special Area Development Authorities of Kufri, Shoghi and Ghanahatti Special Area and Additional Shimla Planning Area and additional villages.

The plan proposes developing Jubbarhatti and Ghandal as activity-based counter-magnet towns with a provision of adequate urban amenities like education, health, trade and commerce.

According to the plan, satellite townships have to be developed in Ghandal, Fagu, Naldehra and Chamiyana Area near the four-lane bypass to decongest the core area and to cope with more population and commercial activities.

It will cater to an estimated population of 4,98,368 and a floating population of 1,26,759 by 2041.

The existing population of Shimla according to the 2011 census was 2,41,429 while the projected population for 2021 and 2031 has been estimated at 3,07,404 and 3,91,408.

The DP emphasises shifting of wholesale, grain market, vegetable market, and non-conforming activities from central Shimla to uphold its original character that was primarily developed by the British.

As Kasumpti, Sanjauli, Chakker, Summer Hill, Totu, Longwood and Bharari have become crowded and are getting further congested, the DP proposes that activities, including workshops and wholesale, be shifted to the periphery of the city in the west to the activities zone.

Planned commercial centres, each covering four to five sectors, have to be developed at Ghanahatti, activities zone and Jathia Devi.

Satellite towns have to be developed to cope with any more population and commercial activities inevitably required to be accommodated in the adjoining areas of Shimla.