Himachal Pushes Rs. 5,400 Crore Urban Plan Gets Rs. 1,200 Crore Project Assurance from Centre. 

New Delhi:

Himachal Pradesh Public Works and Urban Development Minister Vikramaditya Singh presented an ambitious urban development roadmap worth Rs. 5,400 crore during a high level meeting chaired by Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar in New Delhi

The discussions focused on the Urban Challenge Fund under which Himachal Pradesh has proposed a comprehensive plan to upgrade urban infrastructure across the state The Minister sought a central share of Rs. 1,350 crore highlighting the unique geographical and economic challenges faced by the state including nearly 90 percent mountainous terrain and a floating tourist population of around 1.45 crore

Minister Vikramaditya Singh strongly advocated for hill specific relaxations in funding norms especially calling for a reduction in the mandatory 50 percent market funding requirement citing limited commercial viability in hill regions

In a key outcome of the meeting the Union Minister asked the state government to prioritize projects worth Rs. 1,100 to Rs. 1,200 crore and assured that once Detailed Project Reports are submitted these projects will receive immediate approval

The proposed projects include decongestion of core areas in development of hydraulic parking systems underground utility ducting and planned urban expansion projects such as Kangra Aerocity

Director Urban Development Dr Neeraj Kumar was also present during the meeting

The meeting is seen as a significant step toward accelerating urban transformation in Himachal Pradesh with a focus on sustainable and region specific development strategies