Sukhu announces Rs 100 crore plan to decongest Shimla’s Circular Road

shimla: With Shimla facing vehicular congestion putting tourists and locals in travel hassles, Chief Minister Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday announced Rs 100 crore plan to decongest the Circular Road in Shimla City.

The move will ensure seamless traffic movement, clearing of the bottlenecks and enhancing tourism. The state government, he said, has prepared a comprehensive blueprint with an estimated cost of Rs 100 crore and will not mind giving additional money to achieve the goals. Shimla, during the past five years, has seen major changes and widening of the roads, construction of flyways, walkways and foot bridges but the CM has agreed to allocate more funding to create new facilities. “ I have lived in Shimla since my childhood, I have special love for the town — which has rich heritage and popularity worldwide.We will preserve the heritage and do major restorations. The best traffic mobility is part of the plans,” he told Millennium Post.

“My plan about Shimla includes various initiatives aimed at improving infrastructure in this historic city, once the summer capital of India and provides seamless experiences for the visitors. The Municipal Corporation and state’s PWD will work hand in hand to execute the plans,” said Sukhu. He said that out of the allocated funds, approximately Rs 77 crore would be spent for land acquisition and structures of private land, while Rs 20 crore has been earmarked for the development and widening of the road. Additionally, Rs 3.50 crore has been provisioned for the construction of a flyover from Metropole to High Court Junction.

Sukhu said that the state government has a clear vision to boost tourism in the state and to create an environment conducive for the growth of the tourism industry and to provide visitors with an unforgettable experience. The chief minister has directed the Public Works Department to expedite the work and ensure its timely completion. He emphasised the importance of facilitating the tourists visiting the hill capital and localities. He said that the Public Works Department has been asked to prepare a Detailed Project Report in this regard by conducting a survey and identifying all the bottlenecks.The new traffic tunnel being built at Dhalli will also ease the traffic problems.