Shimla: Only govt exhibitions with prior nod allowed at Ridge

Shimla, April 29

Taking a strong note of exhibitions being held at the Ridge and The Mall, the Municipal Corporation today decided that only government exhibitions having prior permission will be allowed at these places.

Mayor Surender Chauhan, while chairing the monthly house meeting of the corporation, said the MC will seize the security deposit as well as goods if someone was found guilty.

Councillors asked the Mayor to prohibit exhibitions-cum-sale at the Ridge. They said business owners of the town were not pleased with the decision. They pointed that the house had earlier passed a proposal of not allowing any exhibition-cum-sale at the Ridge.

Municipal Commissioner Bhupinder Attri said Padam Dev Complex was a commercial property, but food and hosiery exhibition-cum-sale cannot be organised at the site.

“It is very unfortunate that iron structures were raised at Padam Dev Complex at The Ridge which will not be tolerated at any cost,” Chauhan said.

He said the Ridge was a heritage zone and had its own prestige. The corporation, during the meeting, also decided to provide 10 per cent tax rebate to the building owners in the town. Bhupinder Attri said till now around 10,000 bills had been issued while around 27,000 bills were pending. He said the process of issuing the bills had slowed down as the staff had been assigned election duties.

During the meeting, the officials said they only have one team consisting five members for installation and beautification of streetlights across the town and requested the house to increase the number of teams for this work.

The Mayor also warned the officials against using substandard sewerage pipes.

He said he had received several complaints that

substandard pipes were being used.