Vying for inclusion in Centre’s Smart Cities project, the Municipal Corporation, Shimla would involve common people in preparing ‘Smart City’ plan for the ‘Queen of Hills’.

The summer capital of Britishers was earlier neglected in first list of Smart Cities and instead, Dharamshala was selected, leaving the citizens high and dry.

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The MC Shimla Mayor, Sanjay Chauhan told The Statesman, “We have prepared a proforma for preparing smart city plan and it would be shared with citizens for suggestions on the same.”

Chauhan said all the suggestions of the general public on issues like infrastructure, water and power sector, road traffic, smart solutions would be videographed by the authorities. Besides this, we have also created a Facebook page, ‘Smart City Shimla’ through which suggestions are being invited from them.

“A website is also being launched for recording suggestions of general public on various issues,” he said, adding the campaign would continue till March 24, 2017.

He said all these suggestions would be including in the proposal which would be later submitted to the Government of India for the Heritage City’s inclusion in Smart Cities Project. “The MC Shimla would soon hold a meeting with Himachal government on issues pertaining to preparing Smart City model,” he added.

Chauhan added Shimla already has city sanitation plan, solar city plan, city mobility plan, high risk vulnerable index plan, city development plan, greenhouse gas emission inventory plan in place.

“But now, we need basic model considering these plans to take root in the city so that residents and tourists get all the smart city facilities,” he added.

It is worthwhile to mention here that Shimla is situated in the south-western ranges of the Himalayas and the hill capital derives its name from ‘Shyamala’ – the goddess Kali, whose temple existed in the dense forest that covered Jakhu Hill in the early 19th century.

The hill capital is surrounded by pine, deodar, oak and rhododendron forests and it was built on top of a total of seven different hills namely – Inverarm Hill, Observatory Hill, Prospect Hill, Summer Hill, Bantony Hill, Elysium Hill and Jakhoo Hill.

Shimla which also enjoy Heritage city tag, is home to a number of buildings that are styled in the Tudor-bethan and neo-Gothic architectures dating from the colonial era as well as multiple temples and churches.

Thousands of tourists, both domestic and foreign throng the city to enjoy the natural beauty, colonial architecture, churches and temples.

The major attractions include the Viceroy Lodge, the Christ Church, the Jakhoo Temple, the Mall Road and the Ridge, which together form the city centre.

The Kalka-Shimla Railway line built by the British, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is also a major tourist attraction.