Civic body yet to come up with master plan for development of Palampur

Three years have passed since the formation of the Palampur Municipal Corporation (MC), but the master plan for the development of the town is yet to be prepared.

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Palampur is surrounded by the snow-clad Dhauladhar range. The town attracts thousands of tourists every year because of its scenic beauty. The main focus of my government will on developing Palampur, the tea town, as a major tourist hub of the state. — Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Chief Minister, Himachal Pradesh

A year ago, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had announced that his government would come out with a master plan for the development of major tourist destinations in the state, including Palampur.

Sukhu had said that planned development was must for maintaining a clean and green environment in Palampur. The government had announced that Kangra will be the tourism capital of the state. “The main focus of my government will on developing Palampur, the tea town, as a major tourist hub of the state. Palampur is surrounded by the snow-clad Dhauladhar range. The town attracts thousands of tourists every year because of its scenic beauty,” Sukhu had said.

In the absence of any planning and checks by the authorities concerned, illegal construction has been going on in the town on for the past many years. Dozens of buildings have come up in the town without the prior approval of the MC and the Town and Country Planning Department (TCP).

In most cases, the MC has issued show-cause notices to defaulters. A number of housing colonies that have come up on the outskirts of Palampur lack basic amenities.

Illegal, unplanned and haphazard construction in the town shows the lackadaisical approach of the authorities concerned and the TCP. It also poses a challenge for the firefighting and health departments and disaster management agencies engaged in rescue operations during natural calamities. Though residents were expecting that after the formation of the MC the situation would improve in the town, it had gone from bad to worse.

Despite notification of the government, many illegal buildings have been constructed on riverbeds passing through Palampur. Such constructions have squeezed the width of river beds at many places. Many plans were made to decongest Palampur by establishing satellite towns. However, all remained confined to files.

After murder of a town and country planning officer at Solan in 2017, the state government had sent a letter to Deputy Commissioners and the civic authorities directing them to initiate action against violators of the building laws. Unfortunately, no official has followed the government’s instructions and illegal construction goes on unabated in the town.

Members of the People’s Voice, an NGO, while talking to The Tribune, said the MC should prepare a master plan for the town as per the CM’s commitment. The Town and Country Planning Department was bound to implement the CM’s orders, they said.