Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Prof. Prem kumar Dhumal, today drove to various sites in Shimla where restoration and construction projects were being carried out by different authorities in the city.
He inspected work progress on several projects like restoration work of the sunken portion of the Ridge and Lakkar Bazar, Gaiety Theatre building, city bye-pass, solid waste management plant, forthcoming Inter-State Bus Terminal at Tutikandi, IGMC auditorium and other under-construction projects in the city.
After returning from his inspection he addressed a meeting of senior officers of various departments in which he directed them to work in close coordination and clean Shimla town of the roadside debris, repair the damaged roads, lift the uprooted trees, clean dumpers regularly and identify dumping sites at appropriate places, motivate people to maintain cleanliness in their surroundings to maintain the natural beauty of Shimla town.
Raised in Shimla and originally from Mandi district, Disha wears many caps which includes being part of a lead team of a fast growing IT company based out of Chandigarh. Earlier Disha was associated with My Himachal and visits Shimla regularly.
It was saddening to see the sunken spot in your photograph. This spot is next to the famous horse chestnut tree near the Gandhi statue at the north eastern corner of the Ridge. As a child, I remember the reservoir inspection team descending down an iron ladder at this spot.
In 1971 sinking of the Ridge, the road leading to Lakkar Bazaar, D.A.V.School and the hillside opposite to the entrance to the school adjoining the storm water nullah flanked by the concrete steps of the ‘Regal’ building began to sink slowly and then rapidly. The road in front of the cinema building sank 7ft leaving a gap of 4ft away from the whole building frontage. A crack developed at the left corner of the building. The municipal authorities requested for a geological survey to be conducted by the Central Road Research Institute, Delhi. The findings were not disclosed to the public. However, the north face of the ridge was strengthened by constructing a shopping complex. Another shopping complex was constructed to strengthen the hillside beyond the Regal Building. The D.A.V School lost its main building. This massive strengthening exercise, it appears, has not halted the steady sinking of the Ridge, the road leading to Lakkar Bazaar till the nullah next to Regal has been sinking steadily every year.
Regal building was heavily damaged by fire in 1983.It was declared unsafe by the Municipal Corporation. The law abiding residents of the building peacefully evacuated the building.
The building that had been declared unsafe after the fire, and evacuated by the law abiding citizens, the building that has seen further deterioration by the elements and is located in an unsteady area, now has unsuspecting tourists regularly visiting a dubious roller skating rink, and innocent toddlers squeezed into gaudily painted rooms termed as classrooms.
Is the administration waiting for a major disaster to happen before it can, or will, implement its order to demolish it.? Are the city fathers not concerned of the danger to the future generation? Are not schools supposed to be the safest of places?