49 new parking sites proposed for Shimla

Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 1

The Urban Development Department has proposed setting up of 49 parking lots with a total capacity of over 2,000 vehicles in the state capital to check traffic jams.

This was stated in the Assembly by Urban Development (UD) Minister Sudhir Sharma today while replying to a query by Suresh Bhardwaj on the parking problem being faced by residents in the town.

“The work on the ongoing parking sites at Chotta Shimla and Sanjauli is nearing completion, besides we have identified 49 sites to create more parking spaces,” the minister said. He said there was a provision at various sites to park 711 vehicles.

The minister said out of 49 sites, land in 29 cases was owned by the Forest Department, at five places each of the Public Works Department and the Municipal Corporation. “We will make efforts to seek clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forests for making parking lots at 29 sites on the forest land,” he assured. He said parking along roads had been allowed for another 845 vehicles recently.

Sharma pointed out that the provision of mandatory parking in the building map before approval as per the Town and Country Planning Act would be enforced strictly. This, he added, would prevent in traffic jams resulting from roadside parking by owners all over the town.

He said parking sites would be made either jointly by the Urban Development and the local body or on the PPP mode. Replying to a question on the pendency in the grant of social security pensions, Social and Justice Empowerment Minister Dhani Ram Shandil said 61,700 requests had been received between April, 2014, and February 15, 2015. “We have approved pensions for 23,534 eligible persons while 38,166 were pending but with Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh announcing an additional 35,000 pensions in the recent budget, the pendency will be a little over 3,000,” Shandil said.

Randhir Sharma pointed out that pensions of about 2,000 persons had been stopped for the past two years without intimating them or citing any reasons. He demanded that after completion of the shortcomings if any, their pension must be resumed.

Jai Ram Thakur said undue interference by Congress leaders in the process of grant of pensions and MLAs who were members of the committee were not taken into confidence.

Shandil informed the House that a total of 50,387 eligible persons above the age of 80 years were being provided a monthly pension of Rs 1,000.

HLP demands opening of restricted roads

Shimla: The Himachal Lokhit Party (HLP) demanded the opening of restricted roads in the city for vehicular movement as the landslide-prone Circular road near the Lift has been closed. HLP leaders Deshbandu Sood, Gaurav Sharma and Manta on Wednesday said people, including schoolchildren and teachers, were facing a lot of problems due to the closure of the road. They said other restricted roads should be opened to ease traffic movement in the city. They said local MLA Suresh Bhardwaj had become a mute spectator to the problems of people. "He has failed to raise the issue in the Assembly," they added.— TNS

Expedite work on damaged road: CM

Shimla: Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh inspected the ongoing construction work of the 30-m-long damaged stretch near the Lift on Wednesday and directed the PWD to complete the work at the earliest. He said the construction of the breast wall from the bottom should be completed soon so that the PWD could undertake the renovation and repair works at its earliest.— TNS