DW BUREAU / Shimla

With the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) taking the lead of shifting its head office to Kangra to decongest the state capital, Deputy Chief Whip Kewal Singh Pathania on Thursday called on Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu and hailed the decision of the government to move the public offices.

An official statement quoting Pathania said that the shifting of these offices would help solve the overcrowding in the state capital vis-a-vis ensuring equitable development in Kangra, the state's biggest and populous district nestled in the foothills of the Dhauladhar range.

He apprised the Chief Minister that several government buildings were lying vacant in various gram panchayats of his Shahpur assembly constituency, comprising Naddi village and Lanjadi, Sudhed, Gharoh, Chadi, Sapar, Rilu, Kalyada and Rait gram panchayats. He said that the offices could be shifted to buildings in these areas so that the people residing in these panchayats could benefit from the decision.

The Chief Minister assured Pathania that the government would positively consider these options for the shifting of government offices. He said Shahpur and Dharmasala are next to each other; therefore, shifting of offices to these gram panchayats would immensely benefit the people residing in both of the assembly constituencies. After the HPTDC board of directors meeting on Wednesday approved the shifting of its head office from Shimla to Kangra, its chairperson R.S. Bali told the media that this move would decongest Shimla. It is also being done to promote Kangra, the tourism capital of the state.

He said the board has given accord to shift the head office. "We will retain the zonal office in Shimla. The officers and employees will be shifted as well," he added.

While presenting the 2025-26 budget, CM Sukhu announced a slew of measures to boost tourism in Kangra. Sukhu, who also holds the Finance portfolio, said the expansion of the Kangra airport was also among the state government's priorities.

The expansion would enable the landing of larger aircrafts, providing tourists with easy and fast transportation facilities and thereby increasing the number of tourists. During his meeting on developmental projects of Kangra district with party leaders in December last, CM Sukhu said the government had launched several schemes over the past two years to ensure its holistic development.

He said Kangra has been accorded the status of the "Tourism Capital" of Himachal Pradesh and various initiatives were underway to promote both adventure and religious tourism in the region. The Chief Minister had said in another significant move, an international-level zoo was also being developed in Dehra at a cost of Rs 650 crore. The government was also planning to start water sports activities at Pong Dam, similar to those in Bilaspur, he had said.

(editor@dailyworld.in)