Modern city to come up on 10,000 acres in Kangra's Shahpur

The Himachal Pradesh Urban Development Authority (Himuda) will develop a state-of-the-art residential city, the largest in the state, over 10,000 acres in Kangra district. The ambitious project, envisioned as a model of modern urban planning, will come up in the Lanj area of the Shahpur Assembly constituency.

According to Anil Sood, Executive Engineer, Himuda, teams have conducted extensive surveys in Kangra district and identified a vast tract of land between Lanj and Gahlian villages. The area, comprising both government and private land, offers ideal conditions for the establishment of a well-planned township, complete with modern infrastructure and essential amenities.

Himuda has sought the cooperation of the district administration to expedite land acquisition and related formalities. Once the preliminary process is completed, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Urban Development Minister Vikramaditya Singh are expected to visit the proposed site for the final approval. Once cleared, the process for the purchase of private land and transfer of government land to Himuda will begin.

Deputy Commissioner, Kangra, Hemraj Bairwa says that the administration has extended full support for the project. Sites in Lunj and Tiara have also been identified for possible expansion. He adds that rezoning 10,000 acres will bring world-class facilities, including roads, sewerage, parks, playgrounds, parking areas, shopping complexes and more.

Shahpur MLA Kewal Singh Pathania says that the new township, situated near the Bankhandi Zoo and between the snow-fed Gaj and Baner rivers, is in ideal location and will help decongest Dharamsala that falls in the seismic zone-5 and has already exceeded its carrying capacity.

Strategically located near the Gaggal Airport and a four-lane highway, the proposed smart city is expected to boost the region’s economy and mark a new chapter in Himachal’s urban development journey.