Shimla to get 7 satellite towns

To disperse the growing number in crowded Shimla, the Himachal Pradesh government is working on a plan to develop at least seven satellite towns on the outskirts of this popular resort town.

"The government has hired several town planners to identify locations on the outskirts of Shimla, some of which include Kufri, Mashobra, Shogi, Junga and Ganahatti," said Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on Sunday.

"These settlements would be self-contained and each of them would be developed to accommodate about 20,000 persons," Singh said, adding the government was also considering planning new constructions in old town of Shimla without disturbing the heritage monuments in downtown Shimla.

"Restoration and renovation of the existing buildings in the specified areas would be restricted to the original plinth area and no addition would be permitted," he said.

He warned that after construction work of approved buildings is complete in the fast upcoming New Shimla area, which lies to the west of the town, no additional constructions would be allowed here.