E-Paper
760 sealed-road passes issued since Nov 2024: Himachal informs HC
Raising serious concern over the sharp rise in sealed-road vehicle passes issued in Shimla, the division bench of Chief Justice GS Sandhawalia and justice Jiya Lal Bhardwaj said, “We expect the competent authorities to keep in mind the observation made by us in the order dated September 5, 2025 that a large number of passes have been issued for vehicles making it difficult for the pedestrians to move freely, while renewing passes for the sealed roads, from November, 2025.”
The Shimla district administration has issued 760 sealed road passes for private/government vehicles since November 2024, permitting these vehicles to drive on the sealed roads of the city.
This was submitted by the additional chief secretary (home) through an affidavit filed before the high court during resumed hearing of a public interest litigation PIL concerning hygiene and traffic management in Shimla.
The affidavit filed on behalf of the additional chief secretary (home) to the Himachal Pradesh govt, said that 760 sealed road passes for private/government vehicles have been issued within a year from November, 2024 to November, 2025 in view of the provisions of Section 4 of the Shimla Road Users and Pedestrians (Public Safety and Convenience) Act, 2007.
Raising serious concern over the sharp rise in sealed-road vehicle passes issued in Shimla, the division bench of Chief Justice GS Sandhawalia and justice Jiya Lal Bhardwaj said, “We expect the competent authorities to keep in mind the observation made by us in the order dated September 5, 2025 that a large number of passes have been issued for vehicles making it difficult for the pedestrians to move freely, while renewing passes for the sealed roads, from November, 2025.”
The HC bench reminded the authorities that allowing such a large number of vehicles into restricted areas was making it “difficult for pedestrians to move freely.”
High court bench in its order of September 5, lamenting on the traffic situation in Shimla town, had observed “Shimla Town is losing its touch and culture of walking with ‘Umbrella and Jacket’ and it is being reduced to the same stage as Mussoorie where traffic is plying on sealed roads. Old Shimla is losing its charm which needs to be restored.”
HC had also observed that several vehicle passes have been issued for the sealed stretch from Shilli Chowk/Shimla Club till Chhota Shimla, making it difficult for pedestrians to move freely. While expanding the scope of the PIL, the bench had also observed that the vehicles were parked on the restricted portion of the Mall Road from Rock Sea Hotel till Willow Bank saying “Even if permission is granted for vehicles for drop-off and if passes are there, there is no question that such permission can be utilised for parking the vehicles overnight, and it can only be treated as a drop zone at the maximum.”
The PIL is now scheduled to come up for hearing on January 8, 2026.
MC directed to immediately repair ‘dangerously’ bulging danga near DC office
Addressing the specific safety issue highlighted in a petition regarding a dangerously bulging danga (retaining wall) on the ARTRAC–Ram Bazar road below the DC office, the HC bench has ordered the MC to repair the wall immediately. Photographs submitted by the petitioner show the wall bulging outward and at risk of collapse. Although the Municipal Corporation claimed the Danga belonged to Church authorities. The division bench observed that the structure stands at a strategic and highly sensitive point, adjacent to a school while pointing out that a collapse would threaten children’s safety and block the only access road to the locality.
Directing the municipal corporation to maintain and rectify the wall without delay, the bench emphasised that the safety risk required immediate intervention, irrespective of ownership disputes.
