Shimla: Construction of structure for commercial complex to save sinking ridge

Shimla: A commercial complex will be built in the structure being built to save the historic ridge from sinking. For this, Shimla Municipal Corporation has prepared a proposal, which has been sent to the State Heritage Committee for approval. The complex is expected to be ready by next year, after which commercial activities will be started in it. The corporation aims to increase its income by starting commercial activities in the structure. After the tender process, the operation of this complex will be handed over to the contractor. Earlier this structure was being constructed as a non-habitable structure. This was being done due to the ban on the construction of new buildings in the main areas of the city. After the ban was lifted, the Municipal Corporation decided to build a commercial complex.

Built at a cost of Rs 68 crore under the Shimla Smart City Mission, this three-storey structure, which is 70 meters long and 10 meters wide, is being built to save the sinking part of the historic ridge near the Gaiety Theater. Shimla Municipal Corporation Commissioner Bhupinder said that a proposal to convert the structure into a commercial complex has been sent to the State Heritage Committee and further work will be started after getting approval. The ridge, which attracts lakhs of domestic and foreign tourists, was in danger after cracks developed on its surface. In 2015, experts from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkee, conducted a study and found that hard rocks on the ridge were lying at a depth of 4-9 metres. During the British period, the debris of the ridge was dumped on the northern slopes, causing it to rest on loose soil. Apart from being a major tourist attraction, various cultural and government programmes are also organised on the ridge.