To reduce traffic congestion in Shimla, the Dhalli workshop will be converted into a bus stand for the buses plying for upper regions of Shimla and Kinnaur district besides Karsog areas of the State.
Keeping the required space for the HRTC workshop, the remaining portion can be used for the purpose of bus stand.
It will reduce regular traffic jams on the lakkar Bazar road also, Himachal Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said while presiding over the 7th meeting of the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Board on Monday.
The Chief Minister said the Government was constructing many parking lots in the town and the parking near Tutikandi would be completed within 24 months which would reduce traffic pressure on roads in Shimla. Besides, way side amenities, it will provide space to park to around 700 vehicles. Similar parkings were also coming up in Dalhousie and Kangra, he said.
On framing appropriate laws and rules to save the tourists from touts or cheats, Virbhadra Singh said the matter was being examined at the Government level.
The suggestions poured in for ‘dress code’ for hotel guides and taxi drivers.
“Complaints have been received from the tourists of fleecing by few coolies, taxi drivers and so called persons posing as guides” said the Chief Minister.
He said it was mandatory to keep a vigil on such self-styled guides and touts who deceive the visitors. The guides should be registered and qualified enough, he said.
Besides, it has to be strictly ensured that the taxi drivers don’t charge fare more than fixed rates from the tourists.
“As this is the highest competitive area, the department concerned and the police need to tighten the noose around the touts”, he added.
The Chief Minister directed to maintain the roads and take-off site at Billing well in time before the start of Paragliding World Cup-2015.
He said that initially a sum of `50 lakh had been provided to PWD for improving the take-off site so that simultaneously many pilots can take-off in one go from Billing.
He also assured to upgrade the existing Aero Sports hostel at Bir.
He directed all the departments concerned to sort out at the earliest regarding undertaking development of Bir-Billing (which is one of the Worlds best Paragliding sites) before the world paragliding cup begins.
Singh hoped that the Jakhu ropeway project would be completed by end of this year.
He directed the department to conduct a survey on Sarahan-Bashal Kanda project which was endowed with majestic natural opulence extending as far as till Ponda, in district Kinnaur.