SHIMLA:  Former Shimla Mayor and CPM leader  Sanjay Chauhan today kicked off a fresh debate  over the use of iconic Town Hall, a heritage pride of capital city of Shimla. 

Sanjay Chauhan shot off a letter to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, demanding restoration of the Town Hall and other properties given to the Private people, "back to the Shimla Municipal Corporation with an immediate effect in public interest". 

However, there is a divided opinion over the use of  iconic Town Hall, a Heritage building on The Mall Road.

It gives a unique cosmopolitan look to the capital city of Shimla, which has been summer capital of the former colonial British  Raj for over 135 years down the line.  

It is a fact that the Shimla Municipal corporation had failed to protect this heritage as it had become a political hub for the councilors over the years, residents said. 

The civil society groups also plead that the Town Hall Shimla be protected as heritage museum  by the government as is the case with the Town Hall in New Delhi. 

But former Mayor has made a valid point to the Chief Minister by writing a letter raising a fresh concern  today.  

“Through this letter, I would like to draw your attention about the historically and strategically important 'Town Hall' in the city of Shimla which housed office of Municipal Corporation Shimla.

“You are aware that this Town Hall building was constructed in the year 1905 during the British period. Since then it has been used as an administrative office and after  independence, it has been a seat of Shimla Municipal Corporation”.

Chauhan cited the revenue records to prove his point. Town Hall is owned by the Municipal Corporation, Shimla.

As per the records, the occupation and office of Municipal Corporation Shimla has been clearly shown as 474-18 square meters, he said.

“You are aware that in the upper floor of the Town Hall, there is the office of the Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Commissioner”.

In the lower floor there is a meeting room of the Municipal Corporation in addition to the departmental office for officers and public service, he added.

But in the year 2015, the state government took over this historic building for renovation.

The office of Shimla Municipal Corporation was temporarily shifted to the premises of the Deputy Commissioner, Shimla office.

After a long gap, its renovation work was completed in the year 2021. At the same time, the then BJP-ruled Shimla Municipal Corporation.

Under the pressure of the state government, the SMC passed a proposal to run it commercially and filed an affidavit in the High Court in which the proposal to give this building to a private institution for commercial activities was also made.

“This is a clear violation of the obligation given by the former BJP government and the outgoing municipal corporation under the constitution”, Chauhan charged.

Because constitutional institutions like the government and the municipal corporation have the responsibility to protect public property and use it for the benefit of the public.

Town Hall is the seat of city’s civil body which works for benefit of the public,  having been given to private hands, is completely a violation of the constitutional obligation and law, he charged.

Municipal Corporation Shimla will not have any place of its own  where it can hold its monthly and other meetings.

Apart from Town Hall, other properties of Municipal Corporation Shimla including Taka Bench Book Cafe, Tutikandi Multipurpose Complex have also been handed over to private hands for business by former BJP-headed  Municipal Corporation Shimla.

As a result, the  lakhs of rupees  of public money are being lost every year. This too must be investigated in the public interest, he demands.

All over the world, constitutionally and traditionally, Town Halls of city have been under the jurisdiction of the municipal body. The municipal corporation operates its administrative offices in Town Hall.

By giving Shimla Town Hall in private hands, the former BJP government and the outgoing Municipal Corporation, Shimla have misused their jurisdiction and violated the law, he charged.

But the former government and the Shimla Municipal Corporation have openly violated the Constitution and the Himachal Pradesh Municipal Corporation Act, 1994 by ignoring this constitutional obligation, Chauhan charged.

Therefore, you are requested to immediately cancel the decision of the former government and Shimla Municipal Corporation to  restore it back to the civil body in in public interest.

Under this, Municipal Corporation Shimla should take appropriate action against those who caused damage to the properties of Shimla by giving them to  private people, he demanded.

But will Chief Minister Take a call on ex-Mayor's plea? But the Congress councilors and Shimla MLA Harish Janartha will also have their say on the whole issue before Sukhu takes a call on this.