Shimla’s Metropole building, where MLAs and govt staff live, unsafe: CM

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today said that the Metropole building located on the Cart Road in Shimla, where many MLAs and government employees were living, had been declared unsafe and a new building had been proposed at the site. “To decongest the Circular Road, the process for land acquisition has been started. Employees living there will be given preference in house allotment and Rs 15,000 monthly rent will be provided for hiring private accommodation,” he added while replying to Sullah MLA Vipin Parmar’s question.

To Manali MLA Bhuvneshwar Gaur’s question, Sukhu said that the government would give relaxation in fire safety norms for hotels. “We will change and simplify the norms so that hoteliers get some relief. It is difficult to make a provision for fire safety in heritage and old buildings,” he added.

To Pachhad MLA Reena Kashyap’s question, Education Minister Rohit Thakur said that the consolidation of educational institutions in view of the decline in the enrollment of students was the need of the hour.

Rohit said that the low and declining enrollment in newly opened colleges was a matter of concern. “We are moving towards a negative population growth. In 2004, there were 1.25 lakh students in nursery class and it has now fallen to 94,000. The enrollment in Government Degree College at Pajhota village of Sirmaur in 2023-24 was 110 and it dropped to 87 in 2024-25,” he added.

Chamba MLA Neeraj Nayyar raised the issue of proper garbage disposal, as the entire garbage of his town was being dumped into the Ravi or nullahs. Urban Development Minister Vikramaditya Singh said that a similar problem was being faced in Manali, Shimla and Chamba and some other towns.

He said, “We will ensure that there is proper segregation and scientific disposal of garbage, as this problem is being faced in many towns. There is no paucity of funds and I urge the MLAs to use their good offices to forge a consensus and end confrontation and opposition by local people.”

Uhl-III hydroelectric project in mandi starts power generation

• The 100 MW Uhl (Stage-III) hydroelectric project in Mandi district started power generation on March 26, said Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu in the Vidhan Sabha on Friday.
• He said, “The project will generate 392 million units, which will provide a revenue of Rs 200 crore annually to the state government.”
• He added that in the past 45 days, two crore units of power worth Rs 10 crore had been generated.
• Sukhu said that his government had expedited the work on the project and provided liberal funding.
• The construction of the project was completed in December last year. After that the process for filling the 11 km water conductor system was undertaken. Later, the machines were linked with the water grid
• The work on the project was started in 2003 and it started power generation after 22 years