Shimla, the capital of Himachal Pradesh, is set for a major transport overhaul as the state government finalises a project worth around Rs 2,200 crore to build alternative roads, flyovers and tunnels aimed at easing the city's chronic traffic jams. The project will be funded through the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
First stakeholder meeting on twin tunnel plan
The Himachal Pradesh Road and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited held its first stakeholders' consultation meeting at Hotel Holiday Home to discuss two major tunnel projects proposed for Shimla city. Officials, technical experts and local stakeholders used the meeting to work through ways of improving the city's traffic system.
MLA Harish Janartha: tunnel must link both sides
Local MLA Harish Janartha said work must move ahead on connecting the tunnel being built from Tolland to IGMC with the highway. He said the tunnel must connect both IGMC and the four-lane road, otherwise it would not be accepted, adding that traffic would come down only once this was ensured. He said there would be no point in building the tunnel if it failed to cut both traffic and travel distance, and that the company constructing it needed to keep this firmly in mind. He asked the Himachal Pradesh Road and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited team to quickly carry out a study on linking the tunnel to the four-lane road so the project's feasibility status could be assessed. Janartha thanked the central and state governments for sanctioning Rs 2,200 crore to strengthen the city's traffic system, saying not a single rupee of it should be misused, and stressed that infrastructure needs to be built keeping the city's future requirements in mind.
Tunnels planned from IGMC junction and near the post office
The meeting discussed in detail two tunnels proposed to ease Shimla's traffic system and reduce growing vehicular pressure in the city. One tunnel will run from IGMC junction to the IPH pump house near St Bede's College, while the second will connect HP PWD Huts, near the Himfed petrol pump, to Nigam Vihar, below the post office. A presentation covered the preliminary outline of the two projects, their likely benefits, technical aspects and the process to be followed during construction. Stakeholders present offered suggestions on traffic management, environmental protection, convenience for local residents and safety during construction work.
Suggestions to be added to the DPR
Officials of the Himachal Pradesh Road and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited said the suggestions received at the meeting would be studied in detail and incorporated, as far as possible, into the project's Detailed Project Report (DPR). They said the tunnels, once built, would cut down traffic jams in Shimla, reduce travel time and give residents and tourists a smoother commute. The project's DPR consultant also shared technical details of the proposed tunnels.
Assembly flyover to be ready by December 2026
The flyover being built near the Assembly is expected to be completed by December 2026. Construction is moving at a fast pace and the flyover is proposed to be inaugurated that month, a development expected to bring significant relief from jams. The corporation has also carried out surveys at Victory Tunnel, Tolland Junction, Chhota Shimla, Shimla Bypass, Kufri Road and IGMC junction. These surveys found that around 27,266 vehicles pass through Sanjauli junction every day, 24,967 through Chhota Shimla and 37,734 through Victory Tunnel. A drone survey was also carried out for the plan to identify which parts of the city see the heaviest congestion during the morning and evening peak hours.
Seven projects, Rs 2,200 crore, and a 2032 target
The overall project aims to strengthen the city's transport network, build climate-friendly and safe connectivity, and provide a lasting solution to Shimla's long-standing traffic jam problem. Under it, seven major infrastructure projects have been proposed for the city. Besides the IGMC tunnel, these include a viaduct at the Chakkar bypass and MLA crossing, a cable-stayed bridge from the railway parking area to Hotel Holiday Home, a viaduct at Victory Tunnel junction, an ambulance road at Manjeeyath, an upgrade of the road from Mehli-Preet Nagar to Lavasa Chowki, and the development of pedestrian facilities across the city. Around Rs 2,200 crore is proposed to be invested across these projects.
The IGMC tunnel project itself involves building two tunnels with a combined length of about 1.45 kilometres, comprising one stretch of 910 metres and another of 540 metres. These tunnels will directly connect IGMC to Chhota Shimla, and Chhota Shimla to Sanjauli, meaning vehicles will no longer need to pass through the Secretariat area, easing pressure on one of the city's busiest routes. According to the DPR study, once the project is completed by 2032, traffic on the IGMC junction to Sanjauli Chowk stretch is expected to fall by around 27 percent, and on the Naubahar to Sanjauli Chowk stretch by around 36 percent, saving commuters time and cutting down jams.
Cable-stayed bridge planned from railway parking to Hotel Holiday Home
A cable-stayed bridge has also been proposed from the railway parking area to Hotel Holiday Home as part of the effort to make Shimla's traffic smoother, safer and more modern. In this kind of bridge, the main road deck rests on strong steel cables running down from tall pylons, with each cable directly attached to the pylon.
