HP High Court Raps Govt: Parking Mess, Filth and Lost Walking Culture Turning City Into Another Mussoorie
Shimla, Sept 8: The Himachal Pradesh High Court on Monday tore into the state authorities for letting Shimla slide into chaos—garbage piling up on roads, cars choking pedestrian paths, and sealed stretches turning into free parking lots.
A PIL filed by Advocate Deven Khanna on behalf of petitioner Sambhav Bhasin exposed the mess from ARTRAC to Ram Bazar, where vehicles parked brazenly on footpaths forced residents to dump waste behind cars.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice G.S. Sandhawalia and Justice Ranjan Sharma minced no words—calling out the Shimla MC for failing to enforce even basic cleanliness and traffic rules.
Sealed Roads Turned Into Parking Lots
The Court expanded its scrutiny to Mall Road between Rock Sea Hotel and Willow Bank, where vehicles with so-called “drop-off” passes were being parked overnight.
The judges made it clear—drop zones mean just that, not long-term parking spots for the privileged few.
Shimla’s Soul at Stake
What stung most was the Bench’s observation that Shimla’s famed “umbrella and jacket” walking culture is fading fast.
“The city risks going the Mussoorie way, where sealed roads are compromised by vehicular traffic,” the Court warned, stressing that “Old Shimla” must be preserved before it’s too late.
Orders for Accountability
The Court directed Shimla’s SSP to file a detailed status report on traffic enforcement and parking violations.
The Secretary (Home) has also been ordered to list out how many passes were issued for sealed roads, their rates, categories of beneficiaries, and the actual purpose served.
The case will now be heard again on October 10, 2025—but for now, the High Court has sent a strong message: Shimla’s streets are for people, not parked cars.
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