The Supreme Court has summoned the file of this case pending in the Himachal High Court. The Supreme Court has ordered on November 14 that the pending cases of the Himachal government in the Himachal High Court and the Supreme Court will be heard together. The Shimla Development Plan has been declared illegal by the National Green Tribunal. This decision has been challenged by the Himachal government through an appeal in the Supreme Court.
In the petition filed by the state government before the High Court, it has been argued that the government has prepared a city development plan to give relief in the building construction rules in Shimla city and planning area. While discharging the statutory duty, the government has made this plan on February 8, 2022, based on the recommendations of the experts. On 11 February 2022, objections and suggestions were sought from the general public in this regard. 97 objections and suggestions were received within the stipulated 30 days. All were heard by the director of TCP department. On 16 April 2022, the state government finalized this plan for 22,450 hectares of land by the year 2041.
This is Shimla Development Plan
In 2017, the NGT had banned building construction in the core and green areas of Shimla city. Only two and a half storey buildings were allowed to be constructed in the city and planning area. To give relief from these restrictions, the government had prepared a new development plan from the TCP department. In this, there was a provision to remove restrictions in the core and green areas of the city. It was also decided to remove the condition of construction of two and a half storey building in the planning area. This proposal was also approved by the cabinet. The Law Department was about to issue its notification that the NGT had already stayed the plan. Later the NGT declared this plan illegal.
