Traders anxious as works of underground ducts reach main part of Shimla’s Mall road

The ongoing digging work for the underground utility ducts on Tuesday reached the main part — commercial space of Mall road — raising concerns among the business class. The work on Rs 146.34-crore worth underground utility ducts was started from Chotta Shimla in August last year. So far, it reached the police check-post near the […]

5 min readShimlaMar 3, 2026 11:23 PM IST

The fire was eventually extinguished on Tuesday (March 2) after five days of efforts by authorities, said the students.

The ongoing digging work for the underground utility ducts on Tuesday reached the main part — commercial space of Mall road — raising concerns among the business class. The work on Rs 146.34-crore worth underground utility ducts was started from Chotta Shimla in August last year. So far, it reached the police check-post near the Simla Club and ECI Chalet Day School from where vehicle entry is prohibited for the core part of the Mall road.

Officials say though 9 to 10 km-long stretch started from Chotta Shimla to the Chaura Maidan near Willy’s Park is Mall road, but the part between the Railway Board Building and Clarkes Hotel is the main portion of around 1 km.

Three excavators started digging near the Lift towards the police barrier near Simla Club. It is for the first time in Shimla when underground utility ducts are being constructed through which all pipelines, electricity, telecommunication wires will go. The depth of the underground duct is around 6 feet with a similar size width.

Rakesh Sood, a manager at an eatery situated between the Lift and Simla Club, said, “authorities take at least seven months to complete the underground utility ducts from Chotta Shimla to the police barrier. The plus point on that stretch was that there were no shops, restaurants, malls, hotels etc. But the stretch starting from the police barrier till the Railway Board Building is full of commercial outlets, restaurants, hotels etc. We have already urged authorities to complete this work before May as the tourism season starts in Shimla from June.”

However, Sood cautions that “every development comes at a cost”. “Definitely, the ongoing work will affect our business for a time being.”

Sudhir Mahajan, who runs a cloth shop in the Lower Bazaar, says that the Bazaar is a very congested locality.

“The construction of the underground duct is also proposed there. Although we were informed that the size of the duct at Lower Bazaar will be smaller than the size of duct being made at Mall road, it will definitely hit our business,” he said.

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Chief Engineer, PWD, Narinder Pal Singh, told The Indian Express, that considering the feedback of people especially of the business class, the department decided to start digging work for the underground utility ducts on the core part (commercial space) of Mall road during the monsoon in the months of mid of July to August.

“Before it, the digging work will start from Willy’s Park, a government circuit house, towards the Chaura Maidan. It will not disturb the tourists and protect the business. Tourist footfall always remains very less in Shimla during the monsoons,” the Chief Engineer said.

“The digging and construction work of the utility ducts from the Lift to Simla Club will be completed shortly.”

Municipal Commissioner, Bhupender Kumar Attri, said that underground ducts from Chotta Shimla to the Chaura Maida are being constructed under the first phase.

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“Although the plan is to construct these ducts throughout Shimla, we decided to cover the heritage and significant portion of the city first. It is decided that private entities including telecommunication companies and others which will use the underground duct will pay Right of Way (RoW) fare on the basis of square metres to the government,” the Commissioner added.

Underscoring that electricity and telecommunication wires over Shimla especially at Mall road are an “eyesore”, Shimla historian Raaja Bhasin said that about three decades ago, a team of School of Planning & Architecture, Delhi, had also proposed underground ducts for Shimla city.

“Although there is no distinctive definition of Mall road, usually the stretch from the Railway Board Building to Simla Club, which covers commercial establishments, is generally called the Mall road,” Bhasin added.

On February 18, the safety and effectiveness of the underground utility duct project had triggered a sharp exchange in the Vidhan Sabha during the Budget session with members voicing concerns over its feasibility in the hill capital’s fragile terrain.

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CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had assured the House that the project had been planned after detailed studies. He said expert teams had visited cities such as Jaipur and Jammu to examine similar models before finalising the proposal for Shimla.

The Rs 146.34-crore project aims to lay an underground utility duct between Chotta Shimla and Willy’s Park, with Rs 25 crore already received under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) scheme.

Saurabh Parashar

Saurabh Parashar is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, primarily responsible for the publication’s coverage of Himachal Pradesh. He is a seasoned journalist with over 17 years of experience in print media, specializing in crime, legal affairs, and investigative reporting. Professional Background Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Mass Communication from Guru Jambheshwar University of Science & Technology (Hisar) and a Law degree from Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), Shimla. This legal background significantly informs his reporting on complex judicial and administrative matters. Career Path: Before joining The Indian Express in 2017, he spent 12 years with The Times of India. Core Beats: His primary focus is the socio-political landscape of the hill state, with a specific emphasis on the environment, forest conservation, drug menace (specifically "Chitta"), affairs related to tribal and archaeology and the unique challenges of governance in high-altitude regions. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His recent reporting highlights the critical intersection of policy, law, and social safety in Himachal Pradesh: 1. "Himachal’s battle against Chitta: Why the border areas are most vulnerable" (Late 2025): An investigative look at the transit routes from Punjab and the impact on local youth. 2. "Shimla ropeway clears key hurdle as 820 trees face the axe :According to the Forest Survey of India’s 2021 assessment, 47.21 percent of Shimla’s 5,131 sq km geographical area is under forest cover (Nov 17, 2025). 3. "Himachal to handover 2.7427 ha of non-forest land for Shimla Ropeway: Given the land’s non-forest nature, RTDC and the state will not require permission from MoEFCC" (Nov 18, 2025) 4. "How the centuries-old Jodidara tradition is fading in Himachal’s Trans-Giri region: Jodidara: a form of fraternal polyandry—has long been part of Hatti tribal culture in the Trans-Giri region of Himachal Pradesh and adjoining Uttarakhand. It is believed to have evolved to prevent division of ancestral land and maintain unity among brothers in the harsh, mountainous terrain" (Aug 18, 2025) Legal & Agricultural Affairs "Kisan Sabha hails SC’s setting aside Himachal HC order to remove orchards from forest land" (Dec 18, 2025): Covering a major Supreme Court victory for farmers, where a High Court order to remove fruit-bearing apple orchards was overturned. "Himachal Cabinet nod to new tourism policy; focus on home-stays in tribal areas" (Dec 11, 2025): Detailing the legislative push to decentralize tourism and bring economic benefits to Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur. 3. Governance & Environment "Forest rights and development: Why Himachal is seeking more leeway from Centre" (Dec 19, 2025): Reporting on the legal hurdles faced by the state in infrastructure projects due to the Forest Conservation Act. "Cloudbursts and resilience: How Himachal’s remote villages are building back better" (Nov 2025): Following up on the long-term rehabilitation efforts after monsoon-related disasters. Crime especially cyber crimes, crypto currency etc: crypto currency: "Agents in uniform, motivational speeches, lavish parties: How a Himachal crypto con went unnoticed:A serial conman, a ‘Nelson Mandela Nobel Peace Award winner', and retired policemen got together to pull off a Rs 1,740-crore fraud" (Nov 10, 2023) Signature Beats Saurabh is recognized for his tenacious reporting on the state's drug epidemic. His deep familiarity with the topography and tribal culture of Himachal allows him to report from remote locations like Spiti, Pangi, Shillai, which are often overlooked by national media. His legal expertise makes him a primary choice for covering the Himachal Pradesh High Court on issues ranging from local body elections to environmental PILs. X (Twitter): @saurabh_prashar . ... Read More

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