Proposal to open Chanshal, Pong for tourism

Tribune News Service

Shimla, December 6

The government has proposed to declare Chanshal, Janjheli, south and north portals of the 8.82-km Rohtang tunnel till Tandi, Pong Dam and Old Hindustan-Tibet road as special areas, opening these for the promotion of tourism.

The government has also proposed to extend the boundaries of five towns, bringing them under the TCP Act.

Three townships – Ghanahati in Shimla, Moorang in Kinnaur, Sihunta in Chamba – are being developed as “Rurban” areas under the newly launched the Syama Prasad Mukherjee Rurban Mission (SPMRM).

These proposals have been presented to the Cabinet sub-committee, headed by IPH Minister Mahinder Singh Thakur.

The Department of Civil Aviation has proposed to develop Chanshal, Janjheli, Pong Dam, Rohtang tunnel south and north portal from Sissu to Tandi and trekking and skiing will be introduced here. These areas are being brought under the TCP Act to acquire land for investors, sources said.

Similarly, Janjheli in Seraj, a home constituency of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, has been prioritised for the promotion of eco-tourism. The BRO is about to construct the Rohtang tunnel by August 2020.

In the Pong Dam wetland, the Wildlife Act forbids any commercial activity. Once area was declared as special area, the TCP Act could allow a limited commercial activity, said a forest official.

The Tourism Department has also sought to declare the Habban-Panjhauta-Haripurdhar-Nauradhar area in Sirmaur district and the old Hindustan-Tibet road as special area under the TCP Act, opening it for tourism.

The TCP Department has also sought to bring Jeori in Rampur and Hatkoti in the planning area and extending the boundaries of Chamba, Chamera, Una, Dhaulakuan Majra townships.

Director IIT-Mandi has written to the government to declare Kamand, where its campus is located, as a TCP area. IIT seeks to develop the campus, the sources said.

Director, TCP Department Lalit Jain, said, “Public hearings have been held in three districts and the rest of the areas, which are proposed to be included or excluded, will be covered soon. The final call will be taken by the Cabinet sub-committee”.