Himachal to handover 2.7427 ha of non-forest land for Shimla Ropeway

The non-forest land comprises trees and shrubs scattered across small pockets, mostly in urban parts of Shimla. Authorities are yet to count the number of trees standing on the non-forest land.

“The identified non-forest land in different pockets also contains trees, shrubs, etc., which will need to be cleared and axed as required during the construction of ropeway stations, installation of towers, and fixing of ropes. As it is non-forest land, neither the user agency (RTDC) nor the state government is required to obtain permission from the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC). When work on this non-forest land begins, permission to axe trees, plants, shrubs etc will be sought only from the Tree Authority Committee (TAC) of the Shimla administration,” Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Rakesh Katoch with RTDC told The Indian Express.

“The identified non-forest land belongs to different entities, largely various government departments and a few individuals. Departments such as the Public Works Department (PWD), Irrigation and Public Health Department (IPH), Himachal Forest Department, and the Municipal Corporation each have their own terms and conditions for transferring land to another department like RTDC, which has yet to begin the process of taking over this non-forest land. At some locations… forest and non-forest land parcels are adjacent to each other,” the officer said.

For instance, in Up Mohal Chaura Maidan, 0.2439 hectares of identified non-forest land for transfer is located next to 0.5198 hectares of forest land at Chaura Maidan earmarked for the corporation. Similarly, in Up Mohal US Club, the identified 0.0742 hectares of non-forest land lies close to the 0.1137 hectares of forest land marked for transfer. A station, lift, and two towers are planned at this site.

The identified non-forest land parcels are located in Up Mohal Kaithu, Up Mohal Kali Bari, Sanjauli Chowk, Panjri, Up Mohal Chaura Maidan, Up Mohal Nabha, Up Mohal Station Ward Bara, Shankli, Up Mohal US Club, Up Mohal Banmore among others.

According to the 2021 assessment of the Forest Survey of India (FSI), 47.21 per cent of Shimla’s total geographical area of 5,131 sq km is forested. The ropeway project — envisioned as a solution to Shimla’s worsening congestion and parking crises — has been under discussion for more than a decade. Earlier proposals, including the Sky Bus and subsequent ropeway concepts, failed to take off due to land availability issues and delays in obtaining clearances.

The state forest department has calculated and proposed the felling of more than 820 trees — about half of them deodars — from the 6.1909 hectares of forest land. It has also recommended the plantation of more than 4,000 saplings at the Luhri forest area in Kullu district by RTDC.

The user agency, RTDC, obtained the permission in October to take over the identified forest land by the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC).

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