Unplanned constructions mar Bir-Billing beauty

Ravinder Sood

Palampur, May 16

Illegal and unplanned constructions blur the beauty and reputation of Bir-Billing, a famous tourist destination of the state and one of the top paragliding sites of the world.

Though the state government has constituted the Special Area Development Authority (SADA) to regulate construction activities in Bir Billing, it has failed to curb rampant constructions.

Stringent town and country planning (TCP) laws for the approval of site plans of buildings and the lack of timely approval from the TCP authorities have made the matter worse.

A number of approvals for the site plans of buildings of Tibetans have been kept on hold because of redtape or under the pretext that Tibetans being refugees are not owners of the land.

In fact, Tibetans have been given land by respective societies duly recognised by the Tibetan government in-exile. A long wait for approvals from the TCP has given rise to illegal constructions in the area. An architect at Bir says that he had submitted the site plans of six buildings in the TCP office two years ago, but was yet to get approval.

Several people have applied for approvals of site plans for residential and commercial buildings in the past one year, but they are yet to get a response from the TCP.

Unplanned constructions have reduced the open area in this hill resort, posing a threat to the security of flyers. In the past few years, a sudden increase in the number of tourists has led to the mushrooming of hotels, shops and restaurants in the area. Hardly any open area is left for flyers for safe landing. Haphazard constructions near the landing site is a serious issue. Besides, wrong parking near the landing site has made things worse.

Tourists say if timely action is not taken, no place will be left for landing and it will be a major setback to the hill resort. The SADA has imposed various taxes like green tax and fee for pilots, but there are no facilities for tourists. In Billing, there is no washroom and similar is the situation at Bir, Chogan and Tibetan Colony.