August 8, 2023: The Central government has approved the detailed project report (DPR) of a new township proposed to be developed near Jathia Devi, around 30 kilometre (km) from Shimla, according to media reports. A team from the housing and urban development ministry will visit the site of the proposed mountain township to assess the feasibility of the project.
The proposed township has been planned to decongest Shimla and improve its infrastructure. Shimla is a popular tourist destination. Besides a floating tourist population, the city has witnessed a rise in its population.
Mountain township in Shimla: Project details
According to the revised DPR submitted by the Himachal Pradesh government, the project will have an estimated cost Rs 500 crore. Earlier, the DPR was set to be Rs 1,300 crore, which was reduced based on the Centre’s recommendations.
The Mountain Township Scheme, under which the project in Himachal Pradesh is being developed is overseen by the housing and urban affairs ministry. It extends financial assistance ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 crore to eight states for establishing such townships.
The other states competing to get the mountain township project under the central scheme include Sikkim, Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, mentioned media reports.
The Himachal Urban Development Authority (HIMUDA) acquired 35 hectare land near Jathia Devi. The government may also consider acquiring private land to fulfil the requirements of the scheme. The proposed project is a self-sustaining township with facilities such as hospitals, colleges, schools, banks, parks, etc.
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