Shimla plan: Govt to seek more time from NGT

Pratibha Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 22

The government has decided to approach the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to seek more time for the preparation of the Shimla Development Plan for which the green court has granted only three months.

“Three months are less and it is impossible to prepare the exhaustive document within such a short period,” said Sandeep Kumar, Director, Town and Country Planning, here today. He said the government would seek more time as the MoU for grant of work for the preparation of the development plan would be signed after the model code of conduct gets over on December 20.

The TCP had invited tenders from experts and consultants for granting the work for preparing the development plan. “The tenders have been opened and the work is being granted to a Hyderabad consultant firm, giving it 465 days for the work,” said Sandeep Kumar. Now, the formality of signing the MoU remains to be done.

The TCP is likely to place this information before the NGT shortly so that its consent can be taken for the grant of work and extension of time. The NGT had set a three-month deadline for the Shimla Development Plan in its landmark judgment delivered on November 16, banning new constructions in the Core Area of the town. “While finalising the plan, the directions and precautions, stated in this judgment, will be considered by departments and the government,” the order said. The ban on new constructions in 17 green belts measuring 414 hectares since December 2000 will continue.

The 38-year-long wait by the capital to get a plan will come to an end. Strange as it may sound but growth and planning are still based on the 1979 Interim Development Plan though some amendments have been made from time to time to meet the urban growth requirements.

It is now being hoped that the chaotic and unregulated growth may finally be reined in with the NGT coming down very heavily on various agencies like the TCP, Urban Development, Shimla Municipal Corporation and Sate Pollution Control Board.

The green tribunal has constituted a Supervisory Committee and an Implementation Committee to ensure that its orders are brought into force.

Hyderabad firm given the task

• The government will seek more time as the MoU for grant of work for the development plan will be signed after the model code of conduct is lifted on December 20
• The Town and Country Planning had invited tenders and the work is being granted to a Hyderabad consultancy firm, giving it 465 days for the work
• Now, the formality of signing the MoU remains to be done
• The TCP is likely to place this information before the NGT shortly so that its consent can be taken