Himachal Pradesh government has decided to develop a major world-class township near Chandigarh. The world class township along Himachal Pradesh’s industrial belt paved way for the same from the state cabinet on Tuesday.
The state government has approved acquisition of nearly 3,000 bigha of land at Shitalpur in Baddi in Solan district. Meanwhile, another proposal in Sirmaur near the Morni Hills region is still under consideration.
After the cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, industries minister Harshwardhan Chauhan confirmed that the Himachal Pradesh Housing and Urban Development Authority (HIMUDA) will lead the land acquisition process.
In November, CM Sukhu had directed the HIMUDA to explore the possibilities of developing new townships in proximity with Chandigarh to facilitate the people of the state and meet the growing housing demand. “Of the identified land, around 1,500 bigha is government-owned, while the remainder falls under private ownership and will be procured after completing statutory procedures,” Chauhan said on Tuesday.
Chauhan emphasised that Shitalpur’s strategic location on the Himachal–Chandigarh border offers significant development potential and clarified that the project is not a replacement for the previously announced Jathiadevi township near Shimla. He said, “Villagers in the Shitalpur region have largely shown willingness to cooperate.”
{{/usCountry}}Chauhan emphasised that Shitalpur’s strategic location on the Himachal–Chandigarh border offers significant development potential and clarified that the project is not a replacement for the previously announced Jathiadevi township near Shimla. He said, “Villagers in the Shitalpur region have largely shown willingness to cooperate.”
{{/usCountry}}The cabinet’s decision comes even as dissent continues to simmer around the Jathiadevi project. On Monday, residents of Bagi Panchayat protested, accusing the government of attempting to take away fertile farmland and threatening their livelihoods.