Shimla to See Shift of Government Offices to Ease Congestion, Announce Leaders

In a move aimed at alleviating congestion in Shimla, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced in the Vidhan Sabha on Thursday that several government offices would be relocated from the state capital. Addressing a query by Congress leader Sanjay Rattan, Sukhu explained that the plan involves utilizing vacant buildings in various districts to house these offices.

Sukhu noted that Shimla lacks the space to build new housing for employees, revealing that while 47 houses are currently vacant, they are unsuitable for habitation. To address this issue, the Chief Minister assured that residential accommodation would be designated for ministers, officers, and government use.

Similarly, former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur supported the idea of relocating offices, citing the urgent need to decongest Shimla. Responding to a question from Sanjay Awasthy, Thakur emphasized the importance of moving some offices to suburban areas. "The government should contemplate shifting some of its offices out of Shimla, as this will not only reduce burden on the city but will also help in the development of nearby areas," he said. He further noted that Shimla's infrastructure, originally designed for a population of 25,000, is struggling under the weight of a growing population and increasing vehicular traffic. "Sooner or later, we will have to shift some of the offices out of Shimla," Thakur added, acknowledging the complexities involved in deciding which offices to move.

In a related development, Education Minister Govind Thakur addressed concerns regarding teacher vacancies in schools. In response to a query from Asha Kumari, Thakur reported that out of 15,632 sanctioned posts for JBT teachers, 4,009 remain unfilled. The delay in recruitment, he explained, has been due to a pending court case. However, the High Court has recently permitted the recruitment of both JBT and B.Ed candidates, with new appointments expected to be made in batches. Asha Kumari urged the minister to prioritize posting newly appointed teachers to challenging areas where there is currently one teacher for every 100 students.