Shimla utility duct project sparks heated safety debate

The safety and effectiveness of the underground utility duct project proposed in Shimla triggered a sharp exchange in the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha on Tuesday, with members voicing concerns over its feasibility in the hill capital’s fragile terrain.

Responding during Question Hour, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu assured the House that the project had been planned after detailed studies. He said expert teams had visited cities such as Jaipur and Jammu to examine similar models before finalising the proposal for Shimla.

The Rs 146.34-crore project aims to lay an underground utility duct between Chotta Shimla and Willy’s Park, with Rs 25 crore already received under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) scheme.

The CM said the duct would house all overhead utility lines, including telecommunication, power and water supply cables, to streamline infrastructure and prevent repeated road digging. He added that a separate provision had been made for future expansion to accommodate additional cables.

However, Barsar MLA Inder Dutt Lakhanpal raised concerns on behalf of shopkeepers and traders, apprehending potential seepage and business disruption due to the project. Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur expressed reservations over the safety of constructing such infrastructure in Shimla’s landslide-prone landscape. He noted that during his government’s tenure, studies conducted by IIT and other institutes had flagged concerns regarding the stability of the terrain.

Thakur urged that the project be executed with utmost caution, prioritising public safety and convenience. Meanwhile, Sukhu also informed the House about a proposed Rs 500-crore redevelopment plan to relocate Sabzi Mandi, Meat Market and other establishments as part of efforts to beautify the state capital.