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Bill passed proposing heavy penalties for vehicles plying on sealed roads in Shimla
Himachal Pradesh assembly passed the Shimla Road Users and Pedestrians (Public Safety and Convenience) Amendment Bill, 2026, on Wednesday, providing hefty fines for the vehicles plying on sealed and restricted roads in Shimla town without a valid permit.
With an aim to restore Shimla town’s culture of walking with ‘umbrella’ and ‘jacket’, Himachal Pradesh assembly passed the Shimla Road Users and Pedestrians (Public Safety and Convenience) Amendment Bill, 2026, on Wednesday, providing hefty fines for the vehicles plying on sealed and restricted roads in Shimla town without a valid permit.
Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had tabled the Bill on Tuesday, which proposes stricter penalties and higher permit fees for vehicles entering restricted areas, including the Mall Road. The bill was passed by voice vote without any opposition and the BJP legislators had walked out the House earlier during the day.
The bill provides that the vehicles found plying on sealed roads without a valid permit would face a fine of ₹15,000, while those on restricted roads without permission would be fined ₹5,000. Violation of the terms and conditions of permits would attract a penalty of ₹2,000.
Besides the Mall Road, the road from Navbahar to Ridge, Chota Shimla to the Mall and Ridge, IGMC to Ridge, AG office to CTO and the road from Boulieganj via the Advance Study Centre to Vidhan Sabha are among the sealed and restricted roads in Shimla town.
The Bill provides for the hike of the annual fee for permits for sealed roads from ₹2,500 to ₹10,000, while the fee for daily permits would increase from ₹200 to ₹1,000.
Further, the authority to issue passes for restricted roads would shift from the Deputy Commissioner to the Secretary (Home). The processing fee for permits would also be increased from ₹100 to ₹500. The Bill further states that authorised police personnel may reduce the penalty by up to 50% if the fine is paid on the spot.
The bill was introduced by the state government after Himachal Pradesh high court had in September last year while hearing a PIL concerning hygiene and traffic management in Shimla 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. Therefore, Old Shimla is losing its charm, which needs to be restored”. The high court had even sought the details of passes issued.
