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Drone survey planned to map land parcels for Him-Chandigarh township
The decision was discussed during a Himachal cabinet sub-committee meeting held on Thursday to review the progress of the project
The Himachal Pradesh Housing and Urban Development Authority (HIMUDA) will conduct a drone survey to digitally map land parcels for Him-Chandigarh — an upcoming world-class township at Shitalpur on the border of Chandigarh, adjacent to the Baddi industrial area.
The move is aimed at ensuring accurate land records and speeding up the implementation of the project. The decision was discussed during a cabinet sub-committee meeting held on Thursday to review the progress of the project.
The meeting was chaired by revenue minister Jagat Singh Negi, with housing and town and country planning minister Rajesh Dharmani also present.
The committee was informed that 3,428 bighas of land have already been allotted for housing purposes. In addition, approximately 5,000 to 6,000 bighas of land from the common pool have also been identified.
It was further informed that HIMUDA and the revenue department, in coordination with the tehsildars concerned, will jointly undertake land consolidation and the process was expected to be completed within one month and a single consolidated land chunk would be created for the project.
“We have already transferred the land to HIMUDA after the cabinet nod. Instructions have been issued to ensure land consolidation within one month,” said Negi while talking to HT after the meeting.
On January 5, chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had announced that the Himachal Pradesh government aims to complete the land acquisition process within the next two months while work will begin in six months.
Three panchayats are willing to give land for the township through land pooling. The state government will appoint consultants to ensure world-class amenities in the township.
Decongesting Shimla: 5 sites identified to shift key commercial areas
Aiming to decongest Shimla, the government is considering relocation of key commercial areas, including the Sabzi Mandi in Lower Bazaar, Anaj Mandi, Timber Market at Lakkar Bazaar, Mechanical Market at Kachi Ghati and the transport area, to alternative locations in order to ease traffic and overcrowding in the state capital.
Deputy commissioner Anupam Kashyap on Thursday informed the cabinet sub-committee that five potential sites had been identified along the Dhalli four-lane road. He said site inspections will be conducted shortly and a detailed report submitted thereafter.
Revenue minister Negi said, “We have been holding meetings to deliberate on the ways to decongest Shimla. The DC shared that they have identified the land and we will now deliberate on the sites with stakeholders to finalise the plan.”
Housing and town and country planning minister Rajesh Dharmani, said, “The markets that are causing congestion have to be shifted. Some offices will also be moved out of the state capital to Dharamshala. Every city has a carrying capacity and Shimla, which is a tourist destination, is already crumbling under pressure necessitating the need to decongest.”
