Shimla ex-deputy mayor files police complaint against parking of vehicles in Ridge area

Shimla, Nov 30 (PTI) Former Shimla Municipal Corporation deputy mayor and CPI(M) leader Tikender Singh Panwar has filed a police complaint demanding action against people and officials who allowed parking of vehicles and installation of temporary stalls in the Ridge area here.

Sharing two videos with the complaint, Panwar on Friday said he sought the registration of an FIR over the parking of two trucks and a large crane in the Ridge, which is a vulnerable zone and no vehicular movement is allowed in it.

When contacted, police confirmed that they had received the complaint.

The historic Ridge is located in the heart of Shimla city and houses Christ Church, a neo-Gothic structure built in 1844 and a Tudorbethan-styled library building constructed in 1910, besides statues of Mahatma Gandhi, Indira Gandhi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Y S Parmar, the first chief minister of Himachal Pradesh.

Large tanks that can hold 45 lakh litres of water were built under the Ridge during British rule. The tanks supply drinking water to households in the capital city. The Ridge lies in sinking zones and cracks have been developing in regular intervals since 2000.

In his letter to the Superintendent of Police, Shimla, Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi, Panwar sought action against the owners of the trucks and the crane, police officials who allowed them to park the vehicles on the tanks and officials of the Shimla district administration, the home department among others for allowing social and public functions in the area.

The complaint further said that functions are being held on the Ridge despite the high court's order not to organise events there.

"I request you to take it urgently, failing which I will be forced to knock on the doors of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh which has already decided not to allow such functions at the Ridge. Still holding these functions invites contempt of their orders,' he added.

Panwar also pointed out that stalls are being installed in the Ridge, putting pressure on the tanks despite an order from the Himachal Pradesh High Court prohibiting any activity there.

He claimed that the Ridge is being turned into a commercial space.

Shimla Mayor Surender Chauhan on Friday got the stalls in the Ridge area removed and instructed officials to find out who allowed those. PTI BPL IJT IJT