Shimla, June 2015: Without touching the issue of smart city and not dwelling on the BJP’s aggressive campaigning, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on Wednesday declared that the Congress would capture “Town Hall” with a big mandate as Congress-backed candidates were getting huge support in all wards.The Chief Minister declared this after releasing the Congress manifesto, ‘Shimla-Sankalp-2017’, for Shimla MC polls.
He was accompanied by HPCC president Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, AICC secretary Rampal, IPH Minister Vidya Stokes and other PCC members. Virbhadra Singh said the government had worked out a long-term World Bank-funded Rs 1,000 crore Kol Dam water scheme that would lift water from the Satluj.
This would end the water problem in Shimla and its surrounding areas for over 50 years. “We abandoned the Pabbar gravity scheme because it was a long-distance plan and incurred a huge cost and decided to adopt the Kol Dam scheme,” he explained.He said, “I have been campaigning in the city for the last two days.
We have got a huge response and the Congress will get a big mandate in the MC polls,” he claimed.Virbhadra said the party had adopted the vision document for Shimla, which was not only an international tourist destination, but also a state capital. “The ADB-funded beautification project of Town Hall, The Ridge and The Mall is nearing completion while the IGMC-Sanjauli, the CTO-Summer Hill and other roads are being tarred and railings are being put on the roads and paths”, he added.
Virbhadra Singh said the government brought one-time settlement policy, which was pending in the High Court. “This policy was brought as the house owners in the state were never given relief as was done in other parts of the country. After this, law will be enforced strictly,” he added. Sukhu said the CPM ruled the SMC and the BJP legislature was at the helm of the city for 10 years but both failed to solve other problems and congestion in the city.
The ‘Shimla Sankalp’ document would be adopted by the Congress after coming to power in the city.Sukhu said the Congress demonstrated what its government had done in the city while the BJP showed dreams and did nothing. “From water and parking issues to transport and tourism development, we have addressed all issues and would work to implement when the Congress heads the SMC,” he added.
Source Tribune India
