Entire state to be brought under planning area

Technical Education Minister Rajesh Dharmani today said that the entire state would be brought under the planning area category and for this the Department of Rural Development would coordinate with the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department to prepare a draft plan.

Dharmani, while talking to mediapersons here, said that bringing the entire state under the ambit of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1977, would in no way cause inconvenience to people, especially in rural areas. “To ensure that people do not face inconvenience, panchayats will be authorised to give permission for house construction in rural areas,” he added.

The minister said that court had directed that the state was facing massive destruction due to recurring disasters primarily because of haphazard and unregulated construction. “As such, the TCP Department in coordination with the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department will prepare a draft plan so that TCP norms are applicable in the entire state,” he added.

He said that the TCP Department would soon sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), New Delhi, to prepare regional plans for districts like Kullu, Kangra and Shimla. “The SPA has agreed to prepare regional plans for some districts. This will help designate demarcated areas like no construction zone, green areas and other zones for various activities like commercial, residential and re-recreational,” he added.