TCP proposes tunnels for smooth traffic flow

AFTER ROUNDS of deliberations the town planners have proposed drastic changes in the development plan for the Queen of Hills. The interim draft of the new development plans prepared by the Town and Country Planning Department (TCP) aims at easing the traffic congestion, increasing the rapidly shrinking green cover and adding more water schemes for the town.

Considering the growing traffic hazards in Shimla, the TCP department has proposed construction of tunnels which will be significant in facilitating, the easy flow of traffic in the town. In the plan the TCP emphasised that at least there was need to construct three tunnels in town. Besides, in the redraft of development plan prepared in 1976, the planners have incorporated provision for constructing footbridges and more pedestrian paths in the area prone to traffic congestion.

Sources said that during the deliberations, local residents and NGOs asserted for increasing the green areas in the town. The TCP department has made it mandatory that the number of trees in the town should correspond with the population figure. Each campus of the private and the government residential complexes should have the number of trees in accordance with the number of residents.  According to the proposal, there was need to plant as many as 1.50 lakh trees in Shimla town. State Town Planner A.R Sankhyan when reached said that planning would be done in different manner where “trees will dictate the construction rather than construction dictating the trees”.  TCP has also earmarked certain “no construction zones” in the town, it is learnt.

According to the new plan, construction will be completely banned in the areas, which have been saturated by over constructions.  The TCP in its plan accentuated for involving the state Forest Department and the Municipal Corporation for taking required steps to increase the green cover. Besides the no construction zone, the TCP has identified eco-sensitive zones. These zones have been marked near the nullahs and on forest patches near the course of Ashwani and Nauti Khud. The main aim behind creating these zones is to preserve the ecology of the area.

TCP department has laid thrust on adding more water scheme for the Shimla town and the proposed satellite township in the peripheral areas. According to the plan, there is need for adding more than 1.50 lakh gallons of drinking water to the existing water supply of 75 lakh gallons for the town. “We have prepared the interim plan and it would be submitted to government for approval,” said director TCP department J.R Verma. Sources, said that new draft would be submitted to the government before December 25. 

Besides this, in order to enhance the beauty of the town the TCP has stressed for uniformity in designs of the rooftops of the building. The town planners suggested that considering the topography of the town, roofs of the house should be in accordance with the hill architecture.

It is pertinent to mention here that the TCP department has held about 12 sessions with people from various walks of life and finally prepared an interim plan.