Chandigarh, November 30
The Himachal Pradesh government’s tryst with controversies does not seem to end.
The residents of the hill state were yet to digest the “samosas and cake” controversy, now it is reeling under the heavy weight of trucks seen plying on The Ridge in Shimla, a vehicle prohibited zone which is “sinking”.
A video of two trucks, parked right next to the historic church in Shimla, has gone viral on social media. It has left the locals fuming.
The Ridge has a 100-year-old water tank beneath and the foundation area towards Rivoli Theatre and Ice Skating Rink has been sinking. Vehicles are banned on The Ridge and only ambulances are allowed.
The driving of heavy trucks on to The Ridge has been criticised alike by the opposition and the locals.
Tikender Singh Panwar, Shimla’s former deputy mayor and CPI(M) leader, has filed an FIR against various officials of the Home Department, police officials and owners of the two trucks and the large crane for posing threat to the historic Ridge.
Panwar pointed out that despite a strict order from the Himachal Pradesh High Court prohibiting any activity at the Ridge, government agencies continued to flout the directive. He condemned the violation of the high court order, claiming that The Ridge was being turned into a commercial space akin to “Delhi Haat” in the national capital. He also appealed to the people of Shimla to raise their voices against such practices.
On Friday, several illegal stalls at the Ridge area here were removed following a visit by the city’s Mayor Surender Chauhan, who emphasised that such structures could not be put up in the area that sits on top of a large water tank.
Chauhan said: “There is a huge water tank under The Ridge and such a huge structure cannot be built here as it could put pressure on the area.”
“But who allowed the structures to come up there, without anyone’s permission is a big question,” commented one user on the viral video, another said: “Trucks on The Ridge? This is absolutely ridiculous!”.
