No forest clearance needed, Shimla Ridge restoration set to begin

Tribune News Service

Subhash Rajta
Shimla, March 21

Work on two major Smart City projects – the Ridge restoration and stabilization project and the Smart Path from Sanjauli to Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMC) – is likely to start soon as the issue of forest clearance has been resolved. While the Ridge stabilisation project will not require any forest clearance at all, the smart path has received the Stage 1 Forest Conservation Act (FCA) approval and the Stage 2 approval is expected within a fortnight.

Work delayed for nearly a year

• The work to stabilise the sinking Ridge could not take off for almost a year because the Forest Department had been insisting on FCA clearance.
• Officials had been asserting that the land in question was forest land and the project needed FCA clearance. The MC, however, avoided applying for FCA and sent the matter to the government.

“The issue of forest clearance for the Ridge stabilisation project was referred to the Law Department. After examining the matter, it said that the land wasn’t forest land. So, there’s no need of any forest clearance for the project,” said Ajay Srivastava, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests.

Interestingly, the work to stabilise the sinking Ridge could not take off for almost a year because the Forest Department had been insisting on FCA clearance. The forest officials had been asserting that the land in question was the forest land and the project needed FCA clearance. The Municipal Corporation, however, avoided applying for FCA and sent the matter to the government.

With the hurdle of forest clearance out of the way, the PWD has floated the tender for the work. “We have received a single tender and have sent it to the government for approval,” said PWD executive engineer Praveen Verma. He further said that the department was expecting the approval within 15-20 days. “Also, the MC will need to fell a few trees at the site. The Tree Authority Committee has already given its sanction. We hope to start the work within a month,” said Verma.

Verma said the work on the stalled smart path, too, was likely to resume soon. The work on the smart path had stopped a couple of months back as FCA clearance was required at several portions of the stretch. “We have received the Stage 1 clearance. The funds for Stage 2 clearance have been deposited and the approval is likely within the next two weeks,” said Verma. “Once we get the all-clear, the work will be completed within four to five months.

The covered pedestrian smart path will be of great help patients and general public during the winters.

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