Railways urged to build multi-storey parking

Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 27

The state government today urged the railways authorities to construct a multi-storey parking near Bhalku museum in Shimla to minimise the parking problem.

Presiding over a meeting with top officials of the Northern Railways and senior officials of the state government here today regarding various issues relating to the railways, state chief secretary P Mitra urged the railways authorities for sharing information between the government railway police (GRP) and the state police to maintain law and order.

He said the multi-story parking could be constructed through Public Private Participation (PPP) mode or through a joint venture of the railways and the state government.

He also discussed about financing new rail lines in the state and the land acquisition issues in Amb tehsil of Una district related to Nangal-Talwara new broad gauge rail line and Chandigarh-Baddi new rail line in Baddi tehsil of Solan district.

He assured the railways authorities that the state government would provide all necessary help and assistance for the construction of these rail lines.

AK Puthia, general manager, Northern Railways, New Delhi, said the railways authorities would consider the demand of the state to construct multi-story parking near the old bus stand on the railways land.

Issues related to forest clearance, ban on illegal mining near railway tracks and bridges, joint demarcation of railways land and construction of roads over bridges, boundary walls on the edge of Kalka-Shimla national highway at identified points to avoid accidents, dumping garbage on the Shimla-Kalka railway track at identified locations, opening of GRP outpost in Parwanoo or Solan and strengthening of GRP chowki in Una were also discussed.