In an effort to decongest the Circular Road in ‘Queen of Hills’ – Shimla, and enhance tourism, the Himachal Pradesh government has prepared a comprehensive blueprint with an estimated cost of Rs 100 crore. This was stated by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu here on Saturday.

The plan includes various initiatives aimed at improving infrastructure in this historic city, once the summer capital of India and provides seamless experiences for the visitors, he added.

He said that out of the allocated funds, approximately Rs 77 crore would be spent for land acquisition and structures of private land, while Rs 20 crore has been earmarked for the development and widening of the road.

Additionally, Rs 3.50 crore has been provisioned for the construction of a flyover from Metropole to High Court Junction, he added.

Sukhu said that the state government has a clear vision to boost tourism in the State and to create an environment conducive for the growth of the tourism industry and to provide visitors with an unforgettable experience.

The Chief Minister has directed the Public Works Department (PWD) to expedite the work and ensure its timely completion.

Emphasizing the importance of facilitating the tourists visiting the hill capital and localities, he said that the PWD has been asked to prepare a Detailed Project Report in this regard by conducting a survey and identifying all the bottlenecks.

He said that Rs 97 crore has been released for this and the state government would provide more funds if needed. Parking slots would also be created in Shimla city to address the problem of parking, he added.

The state government is also focusing on promoting lesser known tourists’ destinations, he said, adding that Kangra Valley is set to be declared as ‘Tourism Capital’ of the state and plans are underway to spend about Rs 3000 crore to develop infrastructure in Kangra district, added the Chief Minister.

“Tourism plays a pivotal role in the state’s economy and the State Government is providing impetus to increase the influx of tourists in the state,” said Sukhu, adding that approximately 72 lakh tourists have visited the state by May, 2023 and the government aims to increase the number to five crore in the next five years.

“To achieve this, it is essential to improve the infrastructure and make their journey more enjoyable. The state government is also planning to formulate a new Tourism Policy that will further support and enhance the tourism sector,” he said.