Come up with concrete plan for housing slum dwellers: HP CM tells officials

Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu directed the department of Urban Development, Town and Country Planning and Housing to come up with a concrete plan for providing proper housing for slum dwellers, particularly in Shimla—the capital town in Himachal Pradesh.

The slum dwellers, he said, have a right to live in a better and hygienic environment. It is the duty of the government to provide them with affordable houses and better living conditions.

Presiding over a meeting of the officials on Thursday, Sukhu said that efforts must be made to make all the Municipalities self-sufficient and self-sustainable.

He directed the officers of Shimla Municipal Corporation to ensure that the issue of Parking must be resolved immediately and some of the parking projects be operationalised fully to earn income from this ambitious project.

He asked the officers to ensure the optimum use of Tutikandi Parking. The offices which were functioning in hired private buildings must be shifted to this Parking where about six floors were lying vacant.

The Chief Minister said the state government was contemplating to create a few Municipal Corporations in the State, particularly in growing towns such as Una, Hamirpur and Baddi-Barotiwala etc. provided they fulfil all the required norms.

He said that this would not only stop unplanned construction but also ensure the planned development of these fast-emerging towns. He said that the authorities must also ensure planned development of these areas, besides laying special thrust on the construction of parking and children's parks.

Sukhu said that several welfare schemes were being implemented in the state but people were not aware of these schemes. He directed the officers to ensure wide publicity of these schemes so that the general public could be benefitted at large.

The Chief Minister asked the officers to bring proper Property Tax Reforms in ULBs to make them more self-sustainable. Service ducts would be provided in Shimla town to make the city free from overhanging service wires.

He said that the construction of service duct from Chotta Shimla to Marina Hotel, from Marina Hotel to Lift and in the second phase from lift to Sher-e-Punjab and thereafter upto Vidhan Sabha and Peterhoff was there in the pilot project.

Sukhu said that all public utilities and services must be made online so that the general public does not face any inconvenience. A proper footpath must be constructed. He also expressed his concern over the unplanned construction of the skywalk being constructed from Chotta Shimla to Brockhurst and from Sanjauli Chowk towards the Dhalli side.