Himachal’s First HP SHIVA Monorail Project Inaugurated in Mandi.
₹20 lakh project at Palhota-II to ease transportation of fruits and agricultural produce; facility to save farmers’ time and labour.
Shimla:
Himachal Pradesh Horticulture Minister Jagat Singh Negi inaugurated the state’s first monorail project under the Himachal Pradesh Subtropical Horticulture, Irrigation and Value Addition (HP SHIVA) initiative at the Palhota-II cluster in Mandi district.
Constructed at an estimated cost of ₹20 lakh, the one-kilometre-long monorail system is designed to facilitate the transportation of fruits and other agricultural produce in hilly and sloping terrain. The Palhota-II cluster covers 28.44 hectares and is associated with 85 farmer families.
The minister said the project would significantly benefit farmers and horticulturists by addressing transportation challenges in areas where carrying produce manually is difficult and time-consuming. The facility is expected to reduce physical labour, save time and make the movement of harvested fruits and other agricultural produce more convenient.
He said the introduction of modern transportation technology in horticulture would help farmers improve operational efficiency and make better use of their agricultural resources. Such initiatives would be particularly beneficial in Himachal Pradesh, where steep slopes and difficult terrain often increase the cost and effort involved in transporting farm produce.
Focus on Modern Technology in Horticulture
Negi said the state government was making continuous efforts to introduce modern technology into the horticulture sector, strengthen rural infrastructure and improve the economic condition of farming families.
He emphasised that facilities such as monorail systems could play an important role in modernising horticultural practices and reducing the difficulties faced by growers in transporting their produce from orchards to collection points and other destinations.
The minister said the government would continue to explore and promote suitable technological interventions to improve productivity, reduce post-harvest transportation challenges and enhance farmers’ income.
HP SHIVA Project Covers Seven Districts
Highlighting the broader objectives of the HP SHIVA project, Negi said the initiative was being implemented with financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank at a total cost of ₹1,292 crore.
The project covers seven districts of Himachal Pradesh: Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kangra, Mandi, Solan, Sirmaur and Una. Its primary objective is to increase the income of farming families by promoting subtropical horticulture and strengthening the supporting infrastructure required for its growth.
The initiative aims to improve the economic viability of horticulture by helping farmers adopt modern cultivation practices and benefit from improved facilities. Infrastructure such as the monorail at Palhota-II is expected to address practical challenges associated with farming in the state’s difficult geographical conditions.
HP SHIVA Project Extended Until June 2030
The horticulture minister said the duration of the HP SHIVA project had been extended by two years, from June 2028 to June 2030, keeping the interests of farmers in mind.
He also said February 27, 2027, had been fixed as the deadline for completing all activities across 3,000 hectares covered under the first phase of the project and handing over all clusters to farmers.
The deadline is intended to ensure that the planned activities are completed and the developed facilities are made available to farming communities for their continued benefit.
Director of Horticulture Satish Sharma, HP SHIVA Project Director Sameer Singh Rana and other senior officers were present during the inauguration.
