Town Hall opens after restoration
SHIMLA:Four years on and with an expenditure of ₹8 crore, Shimla Town Hall, an iconic British-era landmark on the Mall Road, came alive on Thursday.
Himachal Pradesh chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, who holds the tourism portfolio, inaugurated the restored version of the building, which was built in 1908 on confluence of the Ridge and Mall Road. As part of the fouryear project, dilapidated roof was relayed, old switches changed and interior refurbished with new wood. The building was also retrofitted for safety against fires.
THE CENTURY-OLD BUILDING
The majestic building was designed by Scottish architect James Ransone. Built in Gothic style, the Town Hall features halftimbered Tudor style, in all wooden frames and shingle eaves. The century-old building housed offices of mayor, deputy mayor and other public utility departments.
The municipal corporation offices were, however, shifted to another building adjacent to the office of the deputy commissioner in Shimla in 2014, after the Asian Development Bank agreed to fund restoration work of the building.
While the corporation repeatedly asked the tourism depart- ment to hand over the building to them, the latter maintained that it wanted to open the building to public. Shimla mayor Kusum Sadrate raised the demand yet again on Thursday and said, “The House will meet tomorrow (Friday) and will pass a fresh resolution for handing over the building to municipal corporation.”
Speaking on the issue, the chief minister on Thursday said suggestions for the future use of building were under consideration. He was accompanied by Asian Development Bank country director Kenichi Yokoyama.
Last year, the Himachal Pradesh HC had directed both the government and the Shimla MC to file their suggestion regarding the use of the building. The court had then directed the government to put the heritage building for public use. The next hearing is on December 13.
13-STOREY PARKING LOT AT SHIMLA ISBT
The CM also inaugurated a 13-storey parking lot at the Inter State Bus terminus in Shimla that can accommodate as many as 850 vehicles.
The parking lot, funded by the ADB, was constructed at an estimated cost of ₹80 crore. “The lot will go a long way in decongesting flow of tourist vehicles to Shimla town,” the CM said. He added that tourism development was the top priority of the state government.