Shimla to get a complete makeover, be 'unforgettable experience' for tourists

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday (June 24) said the state government has prepared a comprehensive blueprint to decongest Shimla and increase tourist footfall at an estimated cost of over Rs 100 crore.

CM Sukhu said in a statement issued in Shimla that approximately Rs 77 crore will be spent for land acquisition and to compensate the private owners whose properties would be demolished to widen the roads, while Rs 20 crore has been earmarked for the development and widening of the road.

Additionally, Rs 3.50 crore has been provisioned for the construction of a flyover from Metropole to High Court Junction, he said.

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The state government has a clear vision to boost tourism in Himachal Pradesh and to create an environment conducive to the growth of the tourism industry by providing visitors with an “unforgettable experience”, the chief minister said.

He said that Rs 97 crore has already been released for the project and the state government would provide more funds if needed.

Parking lots will also be constructed in Shimla city to address the problem of parking, the chief minister informed.

The Congress-led Himachal government is also focusing on promoting lesser-known tourist destinations and plans are underway to spend about Rs 3,000 crore to develop infrastructure in Kangra district, which would emerge as the tourism capital of the state.

About 72 lakh tourists have visited the state till May 2023 and the state government aims to increase the number from 3 to 5 crore in the next five years, Sukhu said. The government is also planning to formulate a new tourism policy, he added.

(With agency inputs)